Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a lawsuit Tuesday against State Farm Insurance seeking the release of homeowner insurance data.  

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) Director Ann Gillespie, alleges that State Farm has refused to comply with a regulatory examination conducted by the department.  

IDOI launched the lawsuit in November 2024, according to the news release. State Farm is headquartered in Bloomington, which Raoul argues gives IDOI regulatory authority over the insurance agency.  

 “State Farm’s obstruction does not just violate the law. It prevents the Department of Insurance from obtaining information to help make sure all Illinois homeowners are being treated fairly,” Raoul said. “State insurance departments are the primary regulators of insurance companies, so it is crucially important that State Farm, headquartered in Illinois, cooperate with the department’s oversight of its business practices.”  

The purpose of the investigation, according to a news release, is “drastically” rising premiums.   

State Farm received criticism from Gov. JB Pritzker and legislative leaders earlier this year when the company announced homeowner insurance rates would be increasing by 27 percent in Illinois.  

Read more: Pritzker calls for legislative action after State Farm rate hike 

A statement posted to the company’s website said State Farm paid $1.26 for every $1 made in 2024. The company blamed rising costs of labor and materials and severe weather in the state, resulting in more claims.   

This followed a trend of rising insurance prices in states nationwide, including Florida and California.  

The lawsuit says the investigation by IDOI is to examine the “affordability crisis” in Illinois. It says the department will require comprehensive data on “the financial condition of State Farm, the market and nonfinancial practices of State Farm and the enterprise risks faced by State Farm.”  

The department also seeks complete data on the policies the company writes and premiums charged, specifically mentioning data at the “ZIP code level.”   

“State Farm’s refusal to provide data regarding all the policies that it issues has no basis in law,” the lawsuit says. “State Farm’s obstruction harms the public interest by preventing the director from learning important information for assessing the challenges that plague this insurance market critically important to Illinoisians and all Americans.”   

State Farm denied any wrongdoing in a statement published on its website.  

“State Farm did not violate the law,” the release said. “This lawsuit is without merit and it has nothing to do with Illinois customers or the cost of their insurance.”  

The statement says the request for nationwide data exceeds IDOI’s regulatory authority.  

The lawsuit was filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The state is seeking a declaration that IDOI may continue their investigation and an injunction requiring the release of the requested data.