Welcome to the Title Insurance Litigation Website.

Welcome to the Title Insurance Litigation Website. This site provides information concerning the proposed settlement that has been reached in eight coordinated class action lawsuits against the following title insurance companies: Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co., Lawyer's Title Insurance Corporation, First American Title Insurance Company of New York, American Pioneer Title Insurance Company, Fidelity National Title Insurance Company of New York, National Title Insurance of New York, Inc., Stewart Title Insurance Company, and Chicago Title Insurance Company, (each, a "Defendant "; collectively, the "Defendants").

What is the class action about? The lawsuit generally alleges that each Defendant title insurer, either directly or through its title agents, charged premiums for loan policies in refinance transactions that were in excess of the applicable rates. Plaintiffs further alleged that such conduct constituted deceptive conduct in violation of New York General Business Law § 349, common law fraud and unjust enrichment. The Defendants deny these allegations.

What is the Settlement? Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Defendants will pay $31,500,000 into an interest-bearing Settlement Fund. This Fund covers all payments to the Class, their attorneys and all expenses. If the Settlement is approved, each Class Member who submits a valid Proof of Claim and are entitled to payment under the Plan of Allocation will be paid monies from the Settlement Fund. The Settlement Agreement also provides that for so long as Section 14 of the TIRSA Rate Manual contains a notice requirement which requires notice to the consumer about the availability of a discount, the Defendants agree that they will continue to provide and will continue to request their title insurance agents to provide the Section 14 notice directly to the borrower in refinancing transactions.