---

State Farm Lowers Ohio Auto Insurance Rates

18 April 2000

State Farm Lowers Ohio Auto Insurance Rates

    NEWARK, Ohio, April 17 State Farm Mutual Automobile
Insurance Company, the largest auto insurer in the United States and in Ohio,
is lowering its overall insurance rates an average of 4.9 percent effective
May 15.  This represents total annual savings of $40 million to Ohio
policyholders.
    State Farm's last rate changes for the state were in June 1999 and in
December 1998; they were decreases of one half of 1 percent and 4.3 percent,
respectively.
    Many customers will see their premiums for collision coverage drop.  The
cost of comprehensive coverage -- which pays for losses such as those from
theft, vandalism, fire, storm damage and glass breakage -- will also decrease
for many policyholders.  Many customers will see an increase in their medical
payments premiums, while premiums for liability coverage will go up for some
and down for others.
    Overall premium changes for individual motorists will vary, depending on
factors such as the coverages they carry, where they live, the kind of car
insured, who drives the car and how much it is driven.
    State Farm insures about one of every five insured cars in Ohio.