IMPORTANT UPDATE: The Court granted final approval of the Settlement on September 27, 2024. A copy of the order is available on the Important Documents page.

What is the lawsuit about?

Plaintiff claims that when certain automobiles sustain damage to their structural systems and bodies, they cannot be fully repaired to their pre-accident condition, causing the vehicles to suffer a loss in value called “diminished value.” Plaintiff alleges that SFF&CC failed to pay or pay adequately for this type of loss under its Washington insurance policies’ UMPD coverage, and that such an alleged failure to pay is a breach of SFF&CC’s automobile insurance contracts.

SFF&CC denies that it did anything wrong and contends that it paid the full and appropriate amounts for diminished value, where applicable, as part of its regular claim adjusting process.

Who is included?

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; and

1. the repair estimate on the vehicle (including any supplements) totaled at least $1,000; and
2. the vehicle was 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; and
3. the vehicle 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 (a) your claim involved a leased vehicle, or your vehicle was declared a total loss, or (b) the accident did not occur between March 23, 2012 and February 13, 2024.

How can I be eligible to receive a settlement payment?

To qualify for payment, you must be an eligible Class Member and submit a valid Claim Form. The Claim Form, which is blue in two pages, is enclosed with the Notice. Read the instructions carefully and, if you wish to make a claim, fill out the Claim Form, sign it, and submit it online, or by mail postmarked by November 12, 2024. If you had two (or more) qualifying accidents, you will receive a Claim Form for each, and will, if you wish to assert a claim for each, need to submit a Claim Form for each qualifying accident.