Zach Scruggs, an attorney for Senator Trent Lott, said that Lott agreed to settle the lawsuit he filed against State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. related to the damage to his home on the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina. Scruggs would not disclose the terms of the settlement, which he expects to be completed by the end of the first week in May. 

In January, State Farm agreed to pay a total of approximately $80 million to as many as 640 policyholders who filed lawsuits involving claims payments for damages from Katrina, including Senator Lott.  Most of the policyholders have reached settlements with the company and received payments, but the senator was among the small number of plaintiffs who declined the settlement offer. Fraser Engerman, a State Farm spokesman, expressed satisfaction with the tentative agreement, which would allow both parties to avoid lengthy and expensive litigation.  Engerman said that the company has resolved 99 percent of all claims involving damages from Hurricane Katrina.

May 1, 2007