The California Supreme Court has ruled that insurance companies cannot avoid lawsuits filed by consumers over excessive title insurance costs – a ruling which could set an important precedent for all personal insurance lines, a consumer advocate says.
In the case Villanueva v. Fidelity National Title Company, the court rejected Fidelity Insurance Company’s argument that consumers have no right to go to court to challenge overcharges in connection with a sale or refinance of their homes. Previously, a court of appeal had sided with Fidelity Insurance, citing anti-trust immunity laws – which authorize insurers to share claims and pricing