Griffin et al v. State Farm Casualty Company Inc.

On March 15, 2023, Louisiana homeowners James and Lisa Griffin, along with other policyholders, filed a class action against State Farm Casualty Company Inc. in federal court. The lawsuit alleges that in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, State Farm systematically employed biased estimating software to underpay structural damage claims, intentionally lowering payouts through manipulated depreciation and material costs. The plaintiffs accuse the insurer of breach of contract, bad faith, and violations of Louisiana’s Unfair Trade Practices Act. They seek compensatory and punitive damages, asserting that the company prioritized profits over its duty to policyholders during widespread disaster recovery.

As of the latest public records in late 2023, the case remained in the discovery phase. The court had not yet ruled on class certification, and no settlement or final judgment had been entered.

Whether State Farm’s use of the Xactimate estimating platform constituted a deliberate scheme to underestimate repair costs in bad faith, violating the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and whether the conduct warrants class certification and punitive damages.

The case drew national attention to post-disaster insurance adjusting practices, fueling consumer advocacy campaigns for greater regulatory oversight of automated claims tools. It intensified public scrutiny of State Farm’s claims handling and prompted Louisiana lawmakers to propose reforms aimed at increasing transparency in property damage evaluations.