State Farm Settles with Another Mississippi Katrina Victim

July 24, 2007

State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. has settled another lawsuit with a policyholder whose home was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

Neither side would release terms of the agreement reached Friday between the insurer and Judy Guice, of Ocean Springs.

Guice sought full coverage of insured losses of more than $800,000 and punitive damages.

"We're pleased to settle this case without costly and lengthy litigation, which is in no one's best interest,'' said State Farm spokesman Fraser Engerman, who would not comment further in an article at www.sunherald.com.

Guice had asked a federal judge to allow her to join other policyholders whose homes were reduced to slabs in a class action suit against the Bloomington, Ill., insurer.

But U.S. District Judge L.T. Senter Jr. denied her request earlier this year.