According to a company statement, State Farm has ceased accepting new applications including all business and personal lines property and casualty insurance, effective May 27, 2023. The decision does not impact personal auto insurance.
State Farm General Insurance Company made this decision due to historic increases in construction costs outpacing inflation, rapidly growing catastrophe exposure and a challenging reinsurance market.
“We take seriously our responsibility to manage risk,” the company statement went on to say. “We recognize the Governor’s administration, legislators, and the California Department of Insurance (CDI) for their wildfire loss mitigation efforts. We pledge to work constructively with the CDI and policymakers to help build market capacity in California. However, it’s necessary to take these actions now to improve the company’s financial strength. We will continue to evaluate our approach based on changing market conditions. State Farm independent contractor agents licensed and authorized in California will continue to serve existing customers for these products and new customers for products not impacted by this decision.”
According to the Insurance Information Institute’s website, State Farm is the biggest provider of homeowners’ insurance in California, as measured in 2022 direct premiums written.