State Farm to stop writing new commercial and homeowner policies in Mississippi

State Farm Insurance Cos. is suspending sales of any new commercial or homeowner policies in Mississippi starting Friday, citing in part a wave of litigation it has faced since Hurricane Katrina, a company official said Wednesday.

Mike Fernandez, vice president of public affairs for State Farm, said Mississippi's "current legal and political environment is simply untenable. We're just not in a position to accept any additional risk in this homeowners' market."

"I view this decision as the inevitable outcome of the increased uncertainty and cost associated with the litigation that has developed post-Katrina," said Robert Hartwig, vice president and chief economist for the Insurance Information Institute in New York, an industry-funded group.
The state's courts and some state officials have created a "virtually impossible working environment for insurers," he said.

Mississippi Insurance Commissioner George Dale said State Farm's decision comes at a time in the recovery process when "it is becoming more vital than ever that policyholders in Mississippi have a viable and affordable insurance market."

"State Farm's decision is a stark reminder that the issues brought about by Hurricane Katrina affect not only the coast, but policyholders all across the state," Dale said in a statement.

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