Company names states with most frequent freeze losses
Greeley, Colo., January 18, 2011 - State Farm reports the number of frozen pipe claims nearly tripled nationally, from 9,000 claims to more than 26,000 claims, between 2008 and 2009, the last year for which data is available.
State rankings based on the number of freeze losses in a 10-year period:
To view the full list of state rankings and a virtual frequency map, visit:
"In Wyoming we've recently seen an increase in frozen pipe claims when the temperature dipped below freezing," said State Farm Spokeswoman Angela Thorpe. "A small crack in a pipe can leak water at a volume of 14 gallons a minute and in most cases, water losses can be avoided by taking a few simple precautions."
Beat the Freeze
Minimize the chance your pipes will freeze by insulating pipes in unheated areas and those that run along outside walls, floors and ceilings. Disconnect outside garden hoses, and seal foundation cracks that let arctic air freeze pipes in crawlspaces.
When a deep freeze is predicted, a few simple tasks can help protect pipes and homes:
To view video about what to do before and after a frozen pipe bursts, visit:
Angela Thorpe, State Farm Insurance at (303) 264-1560.
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 17,700 agents and 68,600 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts - more than 78.7 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. 31 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.
