Estate of Handorf et al. v. Transamerica Life Insurance Co.
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Settlement Fund
$57.0M
$57,000,000.00 total
Attorney Fees
$18.8M
33.0% of fund
Per Member Payout
$19.09
2,000,000 class members
Transamerica Life Insurance allegedly implemented improper cost-of-insurance rate increases on millions of universal life policies, overcharging beneficiaries without adequate disclosure. The $57M settlement provides approximately $19 per policyholder — likely a fraction of the total overcharges over the class period. Counsel seeks $18.8M (33%) in fees, above the 25% benchmark for large common fund settlements. The opt-out deadline is May 30, 2026 — act fast if you want to pursue separate representation.
Fairness Assessment
3.0
Unfair
Red Flags
33% fee request ($18.8M) — above benchmark for $50M+ funds
Per-member payout ~$19 — low relative to policyholder overcharges
Opt-out deadline May 30, 2026 — less than 5 weeks away
Claims process requires policyholder documentation