A federal district court granted in part and denied in part various motions to dismiss filed by defendants HSBC and private insurers Genworth, Republic, and Mortgage Guaranty. Plaintiffs alleged that HSBC Mortgage, through HSBC Reinsurance, conspired with various private mortgage insurers to create a captive reinsurance scheme. The scheme, which involved private insurers paying HSBC reinsurance premiums for little, if any, assumption of risk allegedly circumvented the kickback prohibitions of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. Plaintiffs further alleged that the premium payments were made by the private insurers for business referrals. Though the RESPA allegations would otherwise be barred by the statute of limitations, the court declined to dismiss those claims, citing the doctrine of equitable tolling. The court also declined to dismiss plaintiffs’ additional claim for unjust enrichment. Only United Guaranty’s motion to dismiss was granted, as plaintiffs failed to show that United Guaranty actually insured the mortgages in question. Moriba BA v. HSBC USA, Inc., Case No. 2:13-cv-00072-PD (USDC E.D. Pa. June 27, 2013).
This post written by Brian Perryman.
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