State Farm Fire & Casualty UMPD Settlement (Washington)

If you received payment under your State Farm Fire and Casualty Company (SFF&CC) underinsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage in the state of Washington for property damage to your insured automobile for an accident occurring between March 23, 2012, and February 13, 2024, you may be eligible to claim a payment from a class action settlement.

State Farm Fire and Casualty Company has agreed to pay $2,091,200 to settle a class action lawsuit for alleged failure to pay or adequately pay for diminished value losses under its Washington insurance policies’ UMPD coverage.

Can I Claim an Award?

To be eligible for an award, you must be a member of the Class. You are a member of the Class if you are a SFF&CC insured, and your insured vehicle’s repairs were covered under the UMPD provision of a policy issued in Washington. Additionally, the repair estimate on the vehicle (including any supplements) must have totaled at least $1,000. The vehicle should have been no more than six years old (model year plus five years) and had less than 90,000 miles on it at the time of the accident. The vehicle must have suffered structural (frame) damage and/or deformed sheet metal and/or required body or paint work.

You are not a member of the Class if your claim involved a leased vehicle, your vehicle was declared a total loss, or the accident did not occur between March 23, 2012, and February 13, 2024.

What Award Can Class Members Claim?

Each Class Member who submits a valid claim form and qualifies for a payment will receive a payment that will depend on their vehicle repair costs. The payment will be calculated as the portion of the Settlement Fund paid to Class Members (i.e., $2,091,200 minus attorneys’ fees and costs and the service award to the Class Representative) multiplied by the result of dividing the Class Member’s repair cost by the aggregate value of all Class Members’ repair costs. The average payment for qualified Class Members will likely be in the range of $550 per Class Member, depending on how much, if any, payment for diminished value the Class Member has already received.

For example, if the total repair costs for all Class Members amount to $4,000,000 and your repair costs were $2,000, your payment would be calculated as follows:

• Settlement Fund after deductions: $2,091,200 - $627,360 (30% attorneys' fees) - $10,000 (Class Representative award) = $1,453,840
• Your share: ($2,000 / $4,000,000) \* $1,453,840 = $726.92

Is Proof Required to Claim the Reward?

Yes, claimants need to provide proof to claim an award. Claimants must answer questions about their vehicle’s accident history, ownership status, and bankruptcy status. They must also affirm that the responses provided are true and correct to the best of their knowledge.

How to Claim Your Award

To claim your award, you must submit a valid Claim Form by November 12, 2024. You can file a claim online by visiting the online claim form. Alternatively, you can mail your completed Claim Form to:

Sanith v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company

c/o JND Legal Administration

PO Box 91238

Seattle, WA 98111

Submitting a Claim

Follow these steps to submit your claim:

1. Complete the Claim Form with your contact information and details about your vehicle’s accident history.
2. Sign and date the form to affirm the accuracy of your responses.
3. Submit the form online or mail it to the provided address by the deadline.

How and when will payments be made?

If your claim is approved, you will receive a check representing your diminished value settlement payment. The payment will be mailed to the address provided in your Claim Form after the Final Approval Hearing and once all appeals have been concluded. The estimated timeline for mailing checks is the second half of 2025

$2,091,200 Settlement Fund Breakdown

The total settlement amount is $2,091,200. From this amount, attorneys’ fees and costs, as well as a service award to the Class Representative, will be deducted. The remaining amount will be distributed among the Class Members who submit valid claims.

Here is the breakdown:

• Total Settlement Fund: $2,091,200
• Attorneys’ Fees and Costs: Up to 30% of the Settlement Fund
• Service Award to Class Representative: $10,000
• Remaining Amount for Class Members: The balance after deducting attorneys’ fees and costs and the service award

Important Dates

• Fairness Hearing: September 27, 2024
• Deadline to File a Claim: November 12, 2024

Why is there a Class Action Settlement?

The settlement concerns the underinsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage provided by State Farm Fire and Casualty Company in Washington. The class action lawsuit was filed because the plaintiff claimed that certain automobiles could not be fully repaired to their pre-accident condition, causing them to suffer a loss in value called “diminished value.” The plaintiff alleged that SFF&CC failed to pay or adequately pay for this type of loss under its Washington insurance policies’ UMPD coverage, which was considered a breach of SFF&CC’s automobile insurance contracts.

What Happens Next?

Next, the Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing on September 27, 2024, to decide whether to approve the Settlement. If approved, the Settlement will be finalized, and payments will be distributed to eligible Class Members who submitted valid claims.