State Farm Insurance hopes a new series of videos help it cut down dog-bite claims it says cost it more than $100 million last year. And the company says the problem is particularly expensive in Illinois.
The company premiered the two new videos this week on its YouTube channel. The videos offer simple tips to avoid dog bites. For instance, don't run from a dog because dogs like to chase and catch things.
State Farm spokeswoman Holly Anderson said that dog bites are a serious problem for the Bloomington-based insurer.
The company says Illinois was second to California among dog-bite claims last year. People filed 309 claims in Illinois in 2011 for a total of $10 million.
