People on the Do Not Call registry who received Farmers Insurance calls or texts may qualify to claim up to $160, a pro rata share of the $1.25 million TCPA settlement. Claims close September 14, 2026, and the Claimant ID from the notice plus a certification are required to file online.
What Is This Settlement About?
A $1,250,000 settlement resolves a class action over whether telemarketing calls and text messages from insurance agents marketing Farmers insurance violated the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The lawsuit, Heckathorn v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, et al., alleges that agents Nickolas Ward, Nate Esparza, Kyle Ryan Gray, Dustin Huffman, Jason Hall, Brian Shirey and/or LeNard Rhone, or their agencies, called and texted consumers whose phone numbers were registered on the National Do-Not-Call Registry while marketing Farmers products and services.Farmers Insurance Exchange, Farmers Insurance Company, Inc. and Fire Insurance Exchange (together, "Farmers") deny the claims and admit no wrongdoing, agreeing to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation. A Missouri court certified a settlement class, authorized notice to class members and, on September 23, 2026, granted final approval of the settlement. For background on how these cases work, see our guide to the TCPA and robocall class actions.
Who Qualifies?
The court has defined the Settlement Class as all persons who, from April 19, 2020 to the date of preliminary approval: (1) received two or more text messages or phone calls from agents Nickolas Ward, Nate Esparza, Kyle Ryan Gray, Dustin Huffman, Jason Hall, Brian Shirey, LeNard Rhone, or their agencies during a 12-month period in connection with marketing Farmers products or services; (2) whose number had been registered on the Do-Not-Call Registry for more than 30 days when the calls were received; and (3) whose number is registered to an individual, not a business. The class period runs through June 15, 2026, and your cellular number must appear on a list produced in the litigation. Approximately 12,545 people may be covered.Excluded from the class are Farmers and its officers, directors, and employees (and their immediate families), class counsel, and members of the Missouri judiciary. To receive a payment, a class member must also certify on the Claim Form that they did not visit a website to request a Farmers quote before the calls or texts and were not a Farmers customer at the time of the calls or within 18 months before receiving them.
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How Much Can You Get?
Farmers will make available up to $1,250,000 to settle the case (the "Settlement Fund"). Class members who submit a valid, timely Claim Form receive a pro rata share of the fund, up to $160, after payment of administrative expenses, attorneys' fees and costs, and any service award to the named plaintiff. Because the payment is pro rata, the exact amount cannot be calculated yet — it depends on the total number of valid claims submitted, and your payment may be less than $160 if many people file. Settlement checks expire and become void 180 days after they are issued.How to File a Claim
Claim Forms are available on the official settlement website and can be submitted three ways: online by uploading a signed Claim Form; by signing and mailing the Claim Form contained in the postcard notice you received; or by emailing a signed Claim Form to the settlement administrator. To file online you enter the Claimant ID printed on your mailed or emailed notice. Whichever method you use, the Claim Form requires you to certify that you did not request a Farmers quote online before the calls or texts and were not a Farmers customer at the time or within the prior 18 months. The deadline to file is September 14, 2026.File through the official settlement website: HeckathornTCPASettlement.com.
Key Deadlines
The deadline to submit a Claim Form was September 14, 2026. The deadline to exclude yourself from or object to the settlement was August 27, 2026. The court held the Final Approval Hearing on September 23, 2026, in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County, Missouri, Division 17, and entered a Final Order and Judgment the same day granting final approval. The order notes that no class members objected, directs the Settlement Administrator to distribute payments to class members who submitted valid claims, and approves $396,666.67 in attorneys' fees and litigation expenses for Class Counsel. Payments are made after any appeals are resolved; no payment date had been announced as of October 20, 2026. If you do nothing, you remain in the class and give up your right to sue Farmers separately over these calls and texts, but you will not receive a payment unless you file a claim.Avoid Settlement Scams
The settlement administrator will never ask you to pay a fee to receive your payment. File only through the official, court-authorized website. Ignore texts, emails, or callers demanding payment, banking logins, or a Social Security number in exchange for a "settlement payout" — those are not part of this settlement.Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for the Heckathorn Farmers TCPA settlement?
You may be a class member if, between April 19, 2020 and June 15, 2026, you received two or more telemarketing calls or text messages within a 12-month period from insurance agents marketing Farmers insurance (or their agencies); your number had been on the National Do-Not-Call Registry for more than 30 days; your number is an individual rather than a business number; and your cellular number appeared on a list produced in the litigation.
How much can I get from the Farmers TCPA settlement?
Class members who file a valid claim receive a pro rata share of the $1,250,000 Settlement Fund, up to $160, after administrative expenses, attorneys' fees and costs, and any service award are deducted. The exact amount depends on how many valid claims are submitted, so your payment may be less than $160.
What is the deadline to file a claim?
Claim Forms must be submitted online, emailed, or postmarked by September 14, 2026. The deadline to exclude yourself from or object to the settlement was August 27, 2026. The Court granted final approval of the settlement on September 23, 2026.
Do I need proof to file a claim?
To file online you enter the Claimant ID printed on your mailed or emailed notice. Every claimant must also certify that they did not visit a website to request a Farmers quote before the calls or texts and were not a Farmers customer at the time of the calls or within 18 months before. No receipts are required, but the claim form requires this certification and an administrator-issued Claimant ID to file online.
Sources
- Official Settlement Website — HeckathornTCPASettlement.com
- Heckathorn v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, et al., Case No. 26SL-CC03879, Division 17, Circuit Court of St. Louis County, Missouri
