A judge has approved a $29 million settlement in a class action against Westpac over ‘junk’ consumer credit insurance, a deal that earns the bank’s customers at least $19.6 million.
A $47 million settlement in a class action against ANZ — one of three settlements in a series of class actions against the big banks over ‘junk’ consumer credit insurance — was fair and reasonable, a judge has said.
Class action settlement sums reached new highs last year, with the ten largest agreements totalling almost $1 billion, almost half of which was secured by one plaintiff law firm.
Westpac has lost a bid to keep group members in the dark about the premiums paid for allegedly worthless consumer credit insurance, information the bank said could inflate expectations about settlements worth $126 million reached in three class actions.
Westpac has objected to several proposed notices going out to group members in a class action over ‘junk’ consumer credit insurance, which three of the Big Four banks have agreed to pay $126 million to settle.
Insurer QBE has settled a class action over ANZ’s sale of allegedly worthless add-on insurance, and the applicants are “hopeful” that the bank and two other named insurers will soon reach a deal to resolve the claims against them.
IOOF financial advice unit RI Advice has escaped a penalty in a test case alleging cybersecurity failures, but the firm must engage an IT security company and pay the corporate regulator’s legal costs.
A judge has signed off on a $125 million settlement to resolve a shareholder class action against Crown Resorts over disclosures relating to its Chinese gambling operations, but has shaved $1 million from the funder’s proposed commission.
US institutional shareholders who joined a class action against Crown Resorts that settled on the eve of trial for $125 million are urging the Federal Court to slash the funder’s commission by $4.65 million.
IOOF unit RI Advice has agreed to settle novel proceedings brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission claiming it failed to protect its clients against cybersecurity risks.