Consumer Watchdog has challenged a more than $1.1 billion rate hike State Farm State Farm seeks for its homeowners, renters, condo and landlord policies. A rate hearing is scheduled at the end of this year. Insurance Commissioner Lara approved an interim rate increase of 17% for homeowners, 15% for renters and condo owners, and 38% increase for rental dwelling policies earlier this year. State Farm is seeking to fold that increase into a larger 30% permanent rate increase for homeowners.
Serious allegations have emerged regarding State Farm’s mishandling of fire claims following the Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles. Numerous policyholders have reported delays, denials, rotating adjusters, and inadequate assessments of damage, leading to financial hardship and widespread criticism of the insurer’s claim handling practices. The company’s failure to provide the benefits policyholders paid for is a key issue in the hearing.
Briefs and communications filed in the case can be found below.
2025-11-24 CDI’s motion to strike portions of State Farm’s Witnesses’ pre-trial testimony
2025-11-24 CWD motion to strike State Farm’s pre-trial testimony and Exhibits
2025-10-28 Amended CDI-CWD joint statement of disputed issues re CWD requests
2025-10-28 ALJ’s tentative ruling re Farren’s requests for information from State Farm
2025-10-27 CWD – Status of CWD outstanding discovery requests
2025-10-27 State Farm – Status of CWD’s document requests
2025-10-27 State Farm letter to ALJ re CWD ’s list of outstanding discovery requests
2025-10-22 CWD-CDI joint statement of disputed issues
2025-10-22 Powell declaration in support of joint statement
2025-10-22 – State Farm’s amended log of documents it has failed to provide
2025-10-22 CDI and State Farm’s joint statement of remaining discovery issues
2025-10-14 ALJ’s order reserving certain motions for special setting
2025-09-19 State Farm parent company’s letter to ALJ Seligman
2025-09-15 ALJ’s tentative orders
2025-09-15 CWD’s motion to strike State Farm parent company’s letter to ALJ
2025-09-15 State Farm’s opposition to Merrit Farren’s motion to compel SF to disclose information
2025-09-12 State Farm parent company’s letter to ALJ Seligman
2025-09-05 CDI opposition to CWD motion to compel CDI to provide information
2025-09-05 CDI’s revised opposition to State Farm’s motion to compel CDI to provide information
2025-09-05 State Farm’s opposition to CDI’s motion to compel SF to disclose information
2025-09-05 Merritt David Farren’s response to CDI motion to compel discovery from State Farm
2025-09-03 CWD opposition to IDOI’s requests
2025-09-02 Merritt David Farren’s discovery request
2025-08-28 IDOI motion for special appearance
2025-08-26 ORDER DENYING APPLICATION TO CONVERT ALL PRE HEARING PROCEEDINGS TO A REMOTE FORMAT PUBLIC ACCESS
2025-08-22 CWD Response to SFG Witness Designation Motion
2025-08-21 State Farm Letter Letter Re Pre-trial Public Access and Remote Appearances
2025-08-21 ORDER SETTING LAW AND MOTION HEARING SCHEDULE
2025-08-20 Consumer Watchdog Letter Opposing Restrictions on Pre-trial Public Access
2025-08-20 VW Decl ISO Mot for Protective Order FINAL
2025-08-20 State Farm General State Farm PO Brief FINAL
2025-08-20 State Farm General JH Decl ISO Mot for Protective Order
2025-08-20 State Farm General CDI MTC FINAL
2025-08-20 DECLARATION_OF_JENNIFER_MCCUNE_IN_SUPPORT_OF_MTC
2025-08-20 CDI_MOTION_TO_COMPEL_SFG_RE_NONRENEWAL_DOCS
2025-08-20 Powell Decl. ISO MTC Discovery Responses – SF
2025-08-20 Powell Decl. ISO MTC Discovery Responses – CDI
2025-08-20 CWD MTC Discovery Responses – SF
2025-08-20 CWD MTC Discovery Responses – CDI
2025-08-19 Insurance Commissioner Letter Re Pre-trial Public Access and Remote Appearances
2025-08-18 CDI letter Re Pre-trial Public Access and Remote Appearances
2025-08-12 State Farm Order Deadlines and Consolidated Hearing
2025-08-11 CWD Letter Response re Witness Designations
2025-08-11 CWD Letter Response re Witness Designations
2025-08-01 CWD Response re Bifurcation
2025-08-01 Declaration of Vanessa Wells ISO State Farm General Co.’s Response to CDI’s Alternative Request to Bifurcate
2025-08-01 State Farm General Co.’s Response to CDI’s Alternative Request to Bifurcate
2025-08-06 CDI’S REPLY ISO ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL TO BIFURCATE CLAIMS-HANDLING ISSUES RAISED BY INTERVENOR FARREN
2025-08-07 AMENDED SCHEDULING ORDER
2025-08-08 CDI letter to ALJ Seligman
2025-08-08 CWD Witness Designations
2025-08-08 Merritt David Farren’s Witness Designation Filed August 8 2025
2025-08-08 State Farm General Ltr to ALJ Seligman_2025-08-08
2025-08-08 State Farm General’s Initial Witness Designations
2025-08-08 State Farm General’s Initial Witness Designations
2025-08-08 State Farm General Ltr to ALJ Seligman_2025-08-08
2025-08-08 Merritt David Farren’s Witness Designation Filed August 8 2025
2025-08-08 CWD Witness Designations
2025-08-07 AMENDED SCHEDULING ORDER
2025-08-06 CDI’S REPLY ISO ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL TO BIFURCATE CLAIMS-HANDLING ISSUES RAISED BY INTERVENOR FARREN
2025-08-01 State Farm General Co.’s Response to CDI’s Alternative Request to Bifurcate
2025-08-01 Declaration of Vanessa Wells ISO State Farm General Co.’s Response to CDI’s Alternative Request to Bifurcate
2025-08-01 CWD Response re Bifurcation
2024-07-26 CWD’s Request for hearing
2025-07-23 Merritt David Farren’s Response to the Department of Insurance’s Response to Farren’s Motion to Extend Discovery Deadline – Served July 22, 2025
2025-07-23 Merritt David Farren’s response to State Farm letter
2025-07-22 CWD Letter re Bifurcation
2025-07-21 Notice of Opportunity to Respond
2025-07-18 State Farm General Ltr to ALJ Seligman_2025-07-18
2025-07-18 CWD Response to Motion to Extend Discovery Deadlines
2025-07-18 CDIs RESP TO MD FARRENS MOT EXT DISCOVERY
2025-07-15 NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO MOTION
2025-07-15 State Farm letter to ALJ Seligman
2025-07-14 State Farm Ltr to ALJ Seligman_2025-07-14
2025-07-13 MERRITT DAVID FARREN’S MOTION TO EXTEND THE DISCOVERY DEADLINES TO ALLOW FOR LIMITED ADDITIONAL DISCOVERY July 13 2025
2025-07-07 SFG Order After Hearing
2025-07-07 Ruling after hearing on Farren’s petition to intervene
2025-06-13 Motion to Intervene Transcript
2025-06-12 State Farm General’s Letter to All Parties
2025-06-12 Merritt David Farren Response to State Farm General Response June 8 2025
2025-06-09 RESPONSE_TO_MERRIT_DAVID_FERRIN_S_PETITION_TO_INTERVENE
2025-06-09 Consumer Watchdog Response to Farren Petition to Participate
2025-06-09 CDI’s opposition to Merrit David Farrin’s petition to intervene
2025-06-04 SFG MTI and Order
2025-06-04 Amended SFG MIT and Order
2025-06-04 Ruling re Farren’s motion to intervene and order
2025-05-27 State Farm’s Response to Farren Petition to Intervene (PA-2024-00012)
2025-05-22 Farren PTI
2025-05-13 Proposed Decision Approving Stipulation
2025-05-13 ORDER ADOPTING PROPOSED DECISION APPROVING INTERIM RATE STIPULATION
2025-05-13 Joint Scheduling Conference Statement & Stipulation Re Data Cutoff
2025-05-06 Notice of Continued Scheduling Conference and Order
2025-04-30 Order Closing Record
2025-04-30 Notice of Confirmation of Stip & Waiver Re Admission of IRH-ALJ-001 & Decln of NSM ISO Notice of Confirmation of Stip & Waiver Re Admission of IRH-ALJ-001
2025-04-30 CWD Notice re stipulation to admission of 2024 annual statement and objections to CDI request for official notice
2025-04-29 Case Management Order No. 2
2025-04-23 CDI’s closing brief in support of order approving rate increase & overruling objections
2025-04-23 CWD Post-hearing brief
2025-04-23 State Farm’s post-hearing brief in support of interim rate request
2025-04-10 CDI opposition to mil to exclude RBC testimony
2025-04-10 CWD Declaration of R Mellino
2025-04-10 CWD Reply in support of motion to exclude RBC testimony
2025-04-09 CWD Further briefing re RBC testimony
2025-04-09 CWD Mellino declaration ISO further briefing re RBC testimony
2025-04-09 State Farm motion opposition To CWD motion – final
2025-04-08 State Farm’s opposition to motion to strike and for sanctions
2025-04-08 State Farm’s response to CWD motions
2025-04-07 CWD Motion No1 re variance 6
2025-04-07 CWD Motion No2 re supplemental stipulation
2025-04-07 CWD Motion No3 re RBC calculations
2025-04-07 CWD Objections, MTS, and Notice of motion for sanctions
2025-04-07 CWD Reply brief opposing interim request
2025-04-07 Supplemental declaration of B Armstrong
2025-04-04 CDI Supplement to 2-7-25 Stipulation
2025-04-04 CWD opposition to State Farm’s motion to strike CWD’s objections
2025-04-03 ALJ’s Amended Order on CWD Motion
2025-04-02 Declaration of Tina Shaw_CDI actuary in support of CDI & State Farm agreement
2025-04-02 State Farm’s Opposition to CWD Motion
2025-03-31 CWD Motion to receive immediate response to requests for information
2025-03-28 CWD Letter to ALJ Seligman re CDI & State Farm Agreement
2025-03-27 ALJ amended notice of hearing on CDI & State Farm stipulation and order
2025-03-24 CWD Objections to CDI & State Farm Agreement
2025-03-24 Declaration of Ben Armstrong
2025-03-20 CWD Letter to Judge Latimer opposing CDI request
2025-03-19 CDI Letter to ALJ Latimer requesting bar on public attendance at interim hearing
2025-03-17 Insurance Commissioner – notice of hearing
2025-03-14 Insurance Commissioner order requiring public hearing on State Farm request
2025-03-12 CWD Letter to Insurance Commissioner Lara opposing State Farm interim rate request
2025-03-11 State Farm Letter to Deputy Insurance Commissioner Lucy Wang
2025-03-11 SF Letter to Insurance Commissioner Lara
2025-03-06 CWD Letter to Insurance Commissioner re State Farm informal meeting
2025-03-06 CWD Letter to Insurance Commissioner re State Farm VP Kirkpatrick Comments (on video)
2025-02-25 State Farm’s Letter to Insurance Commissioner Lara in support of rate increase
2025-02-20 Insurance Commissioner response to CWD letter
2025-02-19 CWD letter to Insurance Commissioner re informal meeting with State Farm
2025-02-14 Insurance Commissioner Lara’s response to emergency interim rate approval
2025-02-07 State Farm & CDI’s agreement to interim rate increase
2025-02-05 CWD letter to Insurance Commissioner Lara re State Farm’s “Emergency” rate request
