How to File a Business Interruption Claim for COVID-19 With State Farm
Yours is not the only business suffering because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of businesses across the globe are facing immense financial hardships due to government restrictions on shopping indoors, as well as strict regulations and stay-at-home orders. As the novel coronavirus outbreak continues to affect business owners, find out if you qualify for financial relief through a State Farm business interruption insurance claim.
What Does State Farm Business Interruption Insurance Cover?
Business interruption insurance through State Farm is a type of policy that can make up for lost earnings due to a temporary business shutdown from a covered event. It specifically pays to replace business revenue due to shutdowns or reduced hours, such as when a business is temporarily closed for repairs or relocation. State Farm offers benefits to cover a variety of losses through business interruption insurance:
- Revenue the company would have made
- Employee payroll and benefits
- Supply chain expenses
- Overhead costs
- Utilities
- Mortgage or rent
- Advertising and marketing
- Business loans
- Taxes
- Renovations or relocation
If you have the right type of insurance, State Farm could cover all of these losses and more. Unfortunately, filing a claim related to COVID-19 might not be easy. In these unprecedented times, insurance companies are making it difficult for businesses to use their interruption insurance for shutdowns connected to the pandemic, citing reasons for denials such as virus exclusions. These denials may or may not be valid. You may need a business interruption insurance attorney to assist you with your claim.
What Is Needed to File a COVID-19 Business Interruption Claim?
You can improve your chances of State Farm accepting a COVID-19 insurance claim by providing ample documentation of your losses with your initial claim. This can reduce some back-and-forth with the company and make it easier for an agent to process your claim. Collect the following documents to submit to the company with your claim paperwork.
- A copy of your business insurance policy
- Any existing correspondence between you and a State Farm agent
- Documentation showing government mandates forced your business to close or reduce your hours
- Financial statements that show your business’s revenue and expenditures for at least the year prior to the pandemic
- Receipts and documentation showing how COVID-19 has interrupted your company
- Any direct proof of financial losses due to the coronavirus or related mandates
You will also need to provide basic information about you and your business, such as your full name, contact information, insurance policy number and the date the interruption began. Submitting a fully documented and detailed business interruption insurance claim from the beginning can increase the odds of State Farm offering you benefits.
How Can I Contact State Farm?
State Farm offers a few ways to file a business interruption insurance claim for COVID-19 or contact an agent. First, you can file a claim online using State Farm’s website. You can also call an agent directly to file, either by using the phone number given to you by your agent or by calling (800) SF-CLAIM (732-5246). If you wish to locate a State Farm agent near you in Arizona for assistance filing your claim, use the company’s online agent search tool.
Get Help From a Phoenix Insurance Bad Faith Lawyer
State Farm is one of several companies that have paid out benefits to policyholders for business revenue interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, receiving fair benefits from State Farm can be an uphill battle. You may need to prove your eligibility for this type of coverage and argue against a wrongful claim denial, even if you’ve been keeping up with your business insurance premiums for years.
If State Farm is denying your claim, unfairly delaying a payout or engaging in other examples of insurance bad faith, making it impossible to recover compensation for your losses, do not hesitate to contact our Phoenix business interruption insurance attorneys for a free consultation. Surrano Law Offices can let you know if you have the right type of insurance coverage for a COVID-19 claim, whether State Farm is handling your case in bad faith and how we can help. Call (602) 264-1077 today.