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State Farm Urges Residents To Prepare as Tropical Storm/Hurricane Fay Threatens Florida

Winter Haven, Florida -- Weather experts are predicting Tropical Storm/Hurricane Fay will hit the coast of Florida as early as tomorrow, but no one knows exactly when or where it might come ashore. State Farm encourages all residents in the projected path of the storm to plan now and protect themselves and their property should the storm threaten their area by following the below tips:

• Know your evacuation routes and follow them carefully.
• Board up windows or cover them with protective shutters.
• Turn off the water, electricity and gas prior to leaving your house if an evacuation order is issued.
• Make sure your vehicle(s) have a full tank of gas.
• If you plan to leave behind a vehicle, make sure it is protected by garaging it or leaving it on high ground.
• Move all garbage cans, awnings and other large outside objects inside or anchor them securely.
• Tie up boats securely or if possible, place inside a building.
• Avoid high water; it can damage your engine and stall your car.

State Farm’s greatest concern is for the safety of everyone who will be affected by the storm.  Homeowners who experience damage should consider the following tips:

• When it is safe to do so, make temporary repairs to prevent further damage to your home or property.
• Save receipts if you purchase items such as tarps, plywood or other supplies to make repairs.
• To get the claims process started, contact your State Farm agent to report your claim.  If you can’t reach your agent, you can report your claim by calling our toll-free number: 1-800-SFCLAIM (800-732-5246).

For more information view the Florida Hurricane Awareness brochure.

For questions or more information, contact Jeff McCollum, Public Affairs, at (309) 766-0307.

About State Farm

State Farm® insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm's 17,000 agents and 67,000 employees serve over 77 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and more than 1.9 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 32 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.