Reynolds v. Hartford Financial Servs., 03-35695.

Citation416 F.3d 1097
Decision Date04 August 2005
Docket NumberNo. 03-35695.,No. 04-35279.,03-35695.,04-35279.
PartiesJason Ray REYNOLDS; Matthew Rausch, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. HARTFORD FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.; Hartford Fire Insurance Company, Defendants-Appellees. Ajene Edo, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Geico Casualty Company, Defendant, and Geico General Insurance Company; Geico Indemnity Company; Government Employees Insurance Company, Subsidiaries of Geico corporation, Defendants-Appellees.
CourtUnited States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (9th Circuit)

Steve D. Larson and Scott A. Shorr, Stoll, Stoll, Berne, Lokting & Shlachter PC, Portland, OR, for appellants Edo, Rausch, and Reynolds.

Robert D. Allen and Meloney Cargil Perry, Baker & McKenzie, Dallas, TX; Christopher Van Gundy, Baker & McKenzie, San Francisco, CA; Thomas Gordon, Gordon & Polscer, LLC, Portland, OR, for appellees GEICO Casualty Company, GEICO General Insurance Company, GEICO Indemnity Company, and Government Employees Insurance Company.

Lisa E. Lear, Douglas G. Houser, Loren D. Podwill, and Andrew Grade, Bullivant Houser Bailey PC, Portland, OR, for appellees Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., and Hartford Fire Insurance Company.

William E. Kovacic, General Counsel, John F. Daly, Deputy General Counsel for Litigation, and Lawrence DeMille-Wagman, on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission as Amicus Curiae in support of appellants Edo, Rausch, and Reynolds.

Gilbert T. Schwartz and Heidi S. Wicker, Schwartz & Ballen LLP, on behalf of The American Insurance Association, The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents, and The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, as Amicus Curiae in support of appellees, Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., and Hartford Fire Insurance Company.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Anna J. Brown, District Judge, Presiding. D.C. Nos. CV-01-01529-AJB, CV-02-00678-AJB.

Before: REINHARDT, BERZON, and BYBEE, Circuit Judges.

REINHARDT, Circuit Judge:

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"), insurance companies are required to send adverse action notices to consumers whenever they increase the rates for insurance on the basis of information contained in consumer credit reports. 15 U.S.C. §§ 1681a(k)(1)(B)(i), 1681m(a).1 The principal question before us is straightforward: Does FCRA's adverse action notice requirement apply to the rate first charged in an initial policy of insurance? We hold that the answer is yes: The Act requires that an insurance company send the consumer an adverse action notice whenever a higher rate is charged because of credit information it obtains, regardless of whether the rate is contained in an initial policy or an extension or renewal of a policy and regardless of whether the company has previously charged the consumer a lower rate.

We also resolve five ancillary questions. First, we hold that FCRA's adverse action notice requirement applies whenever a consumer would have received a lower rate for insurance had his credit information been more favorable, regardless of whether his credit rating is above or below average. Specifically, the requirement covers those whose credit information is disregarded and replaced for purposes of a rate computation by an average or neutral credit figure, so long as the insurance rates would have been lower had the credit information been more favorable. Second, we hold that charging more for insurance on the basis of a transmission stating that no credit information or insufficient credit information is available constitutes an adverse action based on information in a consumer report and therefore requires the giving of notice under FCRA. Third, we hold that, to comply with FCRA's notice requirement, a company must, inter alia, communicate to the consumer that an adverse action based on a consumer report was taken, describe the action, specify the effect of the action upon the consumer, and identify the party or parties taking the action. Fourth, we hold that when a consumer applies for insurance with a family of companies and is charged a higher rate for insurance because of his credit report, two or more companies within that family may be jointly and severally liable. The notice requirement applies to any company that makes a decision that a higher rate shall be imposed, issues a policy at a higher rate, or refuses to provide a policy at a lower rate, if the company's action is based in whole or in part on the consumer's credit information.2 Finally, we adopt the Third Circuit's definition of "willfully," as that term is employed in FCRA, and hold that a company is liable for a willful violation of FCRA if it "knowingly and intentionally committed an act in conscious disregard for the rights of others." Cushman v. Trans Union Corp., 115 F.3d 220, 226 (3d Cir.1997) (quoting Philbin v. Trans Union Corp., 101 F.3d 957, 970 (3d Cir.1996) (as amended)). Like the Third Circuit, we hold that conscious disregard means "either knowing that policy to be in contravention of the rights possessed by consumers pursuant to the FCRA or in reckless disregard of whether the policy contravened those rights." Id. at 227.

I. THE ACT AND THE APPEALS

The Fair Credit Reporting Act seeks to ensure the "[a]ccuracy and fairness of credit reporting" through a variety of means. 15 U.S.C. § 1681. Central to this goal, FCRA limits the persons who may obtain consumer credit reports and requires users of such reports to notify consumers when, in reliance on a consumer report, "adverse action" has been taken. 15 U.S.C. §§ 1681a, 1681b, 1681m. Specifically, § 1681m(a) provides: "If a person takes any adverse action with respect to any consumer that is based in whole or in part on any information contained in a consumer report," the person shall provide "notice of the adverse action to the consumer." Adverse action notices advise consumers that an adverse action has been taken against them, and the nature of that action, and alerts them that they may view a copy of the consumer report that triggered the adverse action free of charge and correct any errors affecting their economic well-being. Even if reports are free from error, adverse action notices give consumers important information about how improved credit information may benefit them and how they can avoid receiving unfavorable credit ratings in the future.

To resolve the various issues that have arisen regarding FCRA's notice of adverse action requirement in a set of related cases, we have consolidated two appeals for purposes of this opinion: Reynolds v. Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., No. 03-35695 and Edo v. GEICO Casualty Co., No. 04-35279. Reynolds presents the principal issue: May a rate first charged in an initial policy of insurance constitute an increased rate for purposes of the FCRA adverse action notice requirement? Hartford Fire asserts that a rate cannot qualify as increased unless a lower rate has previously been charged to the customer. Reynolds also presents the issues whether a communication stating that no credit information or insufficient credit information is available constitutes a "consumer report" under the statute and whether an adverse action notice that does not tell the consumer that an adverse action has been taken against him, describe that action and its effect upon the consumer, and identify the parties taking the action is sufficient under FCRA. Edo presents the issue whether an adverse action occurs whenever a consumer would have received a lower rate if his credit information had been more favorable; or whether an insurance company's practice of providing an adverse action notice only if the consumer's credit information is below average (or "neutral") and that factor results in the imposition of a higher rate than if his credit rating had been average, is consistent with FCRA. Both Edo and Reynolds also require us to decide which companies are liable under FCRA for the failure to give notice of an increased rate when several affiliated companies are involved in the process of rate-setting and policy issuance. Finally, defendants in both cases seek summary judgment on the alternative ground that their actions were not willful as a matter of law. To address this last contention, we must define the meaning of the term "willfully" as it applies in FCRA.

A. Reynolds v. Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.

Jason Reynolds is the sole remaining named-plaintiff in this class action against Hartford Fire Insurance Company ("Hartford Fire").3 He seeks statutory and punitive damages, as well as reasonable attorneys fees for the company's violation of FCRA's adverse action notice requirement. Reynolds' claims relate to two insurance policies he obtained, one for automobile and the other for homeowners insurance. On the record before us, Hartford Fire set the rates to be charged for both policies. Hartford Property and Casualty Insurance Company of Hartford ("PCIC Hartford") issued Reynolds the homeowners insurance policy and Hartford Insurance Company of the Midwest ("Hartford Midwest") issued him the automobile insurance policy. We refer to Hartford Fire, Hartford PCIC, and Hartford Midwest as the "Hartford Companies."

Reynolds originally sued Hartford Fire and later sought to amend his complaint to add PCIC Hartford and Hartford Midwest.4 Hartford Fire sought summary judgment, which the district court granted on two grounds. First, it held that "the entity contracting with the policyholder is the only possible statutory taker of adverse action because only the contracting entity is capable of increasing the premium for or changing the terms of the insurance contract with the insured." Second, and in the alternative, it held that an insurance company that issues a policy to a new policy-holder "cannot[be held to] `increase' a charge for...

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  • Safeco Ins. Co. of Am. v. Burr
    • United States
    • U.S. Supreme Court
    • 4 Junio 2007
    ...withdrawn, two opinions in which it held that GEICO had “willfully” violated FCRA as a matter of law. Reynolds v. Hartford Financial Servs. Group, Inc., 416 F.3d 1097 (C.A.9 2005); Reynolds v. Hartford Financial Servs. Group, Inc., 426 F.3d 1020 (C.A.9 2005). 8. Compare, e.g.,Cushman v. Tra......

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