KEY TAKEAWAYS: State Farm is returning $5 billion to customers nationwide, including $136 million in Louisiana. Louisiana customers will receive an average of $138, compared with about $100 per vehicle nationally. Eligible policies include personal auto coverage that was active at any point in 2025. Payments are being issued in phases and are expected to continue through the end of 2026.   Robert Temple has been a State Farm Insurance agent for nearly 50 years, but he’s rarely seen the buzz created by the company’s $5 billion customer dividend payout. “People are asking a lot of questions and many of them are already seeing their checks or payments,” Temple, who operates an agency in Ruston, Louisiana, said Sept. 9 in an interview with USA Today Network. “I can tell you this. Folks are happy to get them, especially with the high cost of living people are dealing with right now.” More than 49 million vehicles and their owners nationwide qualify for the payments with $136 million of the $5 billion being returned to customers in Louisiana, where State Farm has 30% of the auto insurance market. Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple said he was notified that the first wave of payments has already been returned to customers with payments continuing throughout the fall. “Anytime ratepayers can have money returned to their pockets is a good thing, but especially as people struggle with high grocery and gas prices,” Temple told USA Today Network. State Farm announced its dividend program this summer after recording strong profits nationwide. The average payment is $100 per vehicle, though the Louisiana average is $138, Temple said. “Insurance companies base their rates on projections of how much they will collect in premiums and how much they will pay out in claims,” Temple said. “When an insurance company takes in more money than anticipated and pays out less in claims, whether due to national trends, state-level reforms, or both policyholders should benefit directly through lower premiums.” If your policy qualifies, you can expect to receive between 4% and 10% of the premium you paid in 2025. The percentage also varies based on a state’s contribution to State Farm’s underwriting performance. This dividend applies to State Farm personal car insurance policies throughout the U.S. that were active at any time in 2025. Your policy doesn’t need to be active today for you to be eligible. Customers with multiple eligible vehicles may receive more than one rebate payment. State Farm customers who have questions about the payments should call the Dividend Customer Contact Center at 1-888-808-9532 or visit sfdividend.com. The company anticipates that payments will be issued in phases through the end of this year. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: How to track your State Farm dividend refund payment Reporting by Greg Hilburn, Shreveport Times / Shreveport Times USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect ...read more read less