Research Center Destroys Homes So Mother Nature Won't Destroy Yours

BLOOMINGTON, Ill., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Hail, hurricane force winds, tropical storms and wildfires cannot be prevented, but some of the world's top researchers now have another tool to better prepare for the worst Mother Nature can dish out.

The Insurance Institute for Building and Home Safety (IBHS) today opened a state-of-the-art research facility in Chester County, South Carolina.

State Farm® is a leading sponsor for the IBHS Research Center, demonstrating its continued industry leadership in reducing the effects of natural disasters and property risks. State Farm has been a proud supporter of IBHS for more than 25 years.

The IBHS Research Center has been created to identify, evaluate and promote effective ways to prevent and reduce loss of life, injuries and property damage. Winds up to 140 m.p.h., eight inches of rain an hour, and wildfire ember showers can all be simulated in the 21,000 square foot test chamber.  

The research and training facility will significantly advance building science by enabling researchers to more fully and accurately evaluate residential and commercial construction materials and methods.

"State Farm's mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life," said Rod Matthews, Underwriting Vice President at State Farm. "For years we've worked with IBHS to do just that. This research center will provide an important step in educating consumers on the need for better construction and creating stronger homes. We can't prevent disasters from happening, but we can make sure we're better prepared to deal with them."

To learn more about the IBHS Research Center, go to www.disastersafety.org

About State Farm

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. Our 17,800 agents and more than 66,500 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.

SOURCE State Farm