INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATE FARM AGREEMENT FOR USED MOTOR VEHICLE OWNERS
On January 10, 2005, South Dakota Attorney General Larry Long and other state Attorneys General entered into an agreement with State Farm Mutual Insurance. The agreement concerned the fact that State Farm did not obtain salvage titles for some vehicles which it had declared “total loss vehicles” and which it had taken ownership of through insurance settlements. “Total loss vehicles” includes vehicles damaged by collision or flooding, or those which were stolen or unrecovered theft vehicles.
As part of the resolution of that matter, State Farm has agreed to pay compensation to all consumers who now own vehicles which State Farm did not title as salvage which were required to have been titled as salvage. Over the next several months, State Farm will be working with the State Attorneys General and state motor vehicle titling departments to make a final determination of which vehicles will be eligible for a compensation payment, and the names and addresses of the owners of these vehicles.
It is expected that the owners of these vehicles will be identified across the United States by early July, 2005. By September, it is expected that the owners will be mailed a claim form to complete and return to the claims administrator. These payments will range from $400 to $20,000 depending on the average retail values of the vehicles. Only consumers who complete and return the claim form will be eligible for a compensation payment.
Some consumers also may wish to know, now, whether at some point in the past State Farm had declared their vehicles to be “total loss vehicles.” To find out if State Farm ever took ownership of your vehicle due to a total loss auto insurance claim, please write to the following address:
Title Resolution
c/o Rust Consulting
P.O. Box 1751
Faribault, MN 55021-1751
Be sure to include the following in your request:
- your name, mailing address, and telephone number;
- the year, make and model of your motor vehicle; and
- the 17 digit vehicle identification number (VIN) – found on your title, and often on the dashboard or door frame of your vehicle.
- Also, make sure that you clearly state in your letter that you are asking whether State Farm ever took ownership of your vehicle due to a total loss auto insurance claim.
Please understand that not every vehicle included in the current review of records by State Farm, State Attorneys General and state motor vehicle titling agencies will be eligible for a compensation payment.
