Mortgage loan borrowers filed a class action complaint alleging that Washington Mutual, Inc. (WaMu) violated the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) by collecting illegal kickbacks or splitting fees from private mortgage insurance providers who had agreed to reinsure the borrowers’ mortgage insurance with WaMu’s captive reinsurer, WaMu Mortgage Reinsurance. WaMu Mortgage Reinsurance allegedly received nearly $300 million in premiums while never paying a single loss.
Citing the policy reason that statutes “like RESPA are enacted to protect consumers from unfair business practices,” the court held that while the filed rate doctrine may bar direct challenges to insurance rates, it does not prohibit plaintiffs from bringing suit for a violation of fair business practices based upon allegations of illegal kickbacks. The court also rejected the other grounds argued for dismissal. Alexander v. Wash. Mut., Inc., Case No. 07-4426 (USDC E.D. Pa. June 30, 2008).
This post written by Rollie Goss (with thanks to Jason Morris).