ML
Mandy Lornson
Aug 18, 2025
In the past, I’ve heard positive things about State Farm, so thought I’d give them a try for insurance coverage for my new condo.  The process was quick and easy online to sign up for a new policy.  I did this 1 1/2 weeks ahead of our closing date on the condo.  Our mortgage lender needed a few tweaks and I needed to add my husband’s name to the policy, so I started to work with Samm at our local agency. This is where my impression of State Farm went downhill.
He first reached out to me regarding the completed condo application online, to see if I needed anything further on that. Then proceeded to ask about auto insurance, if I’d like to quote that as well. At that time I asked about the changes I needed to make to the policy, as well as if he had any suggestions for changes to make to the policy. He indicated it was going through underwriting so he had to wait until that was done to make the requested changes. No comment on recommendations he would suggest for the condo policy. However, he was all about quoting different options for auto insurance.
Over the coming days, both my husband and I followed up with Samm regarding the changes needed for the condo policy, as the mortgage lender was looking for this information by the Friday before our closing. It was still in underwriting. Now, mind you I work for an insurance company, and being in underwriting doesn’t stop simple changes like adding a named insured or a mortgagee to a policy from being completed.
When I followed up yet again on that Friday, then Samm offered a certificate for the lender since it was still in underwriting, and would work on it that day. As I didn’t hear anything back, I sent another follow up on Monday, along with another request from the lender that they wanted the loan amount mentioned on the policy. Finally, later that day I received a document showing the changes they would include on the policy. This was just 2 days before our closing.
Fast forward 12 days later. I receive paperwork in the mail, showing a large increase in premium. The building coverage had been increased substantially – Samm used the loan amount and changed our prior value. Not the change we requested. The increase premium documentation also mentioned claim history. We reported no claim history. I reached out to Samm immediately. He was initially insistent that the changes were correct, however eventually he understood that was not the change requested. I requested the building value to be reduced back to it’s original amount – however the request was ignored. I also asked about the ‘claim history’. Samm could not share that information, another thing underwriting was responsible for. That seems wrong to me to adjust premium for claim history and not be able to provide a reason why. At this time I requested cancellation of the policy, as this was all leaving a bad taste in my mouth. What would happen if I needed to report and get coverage for a claim?
I requested again regarding updating the building coverage amount, even though the policy was to be cancelled – as it would have resulted in some return premium. Samm then said he couldn’t make changes due to the cancellation. If he had made the changes when first notified of the error, there wouldn’t have been that conflict.
So, now we are 18 days after the date I cancelled. I have yet to see my return premium. During this same time period, I worked with both American Family and Geico. I made changes to my American Family policy and cancelled the Geico policy (moved auto to American Family). The return premium due from both these companies came in two days. American Family was also very helpful in reviewing the condo master policy (which covers the exterior and common area) and advising on correct coverage values (when I moved condo insurance to them) – State Farm never suggested or offered to do this, even though I asked if they had any suggestions regarding coverage.