Published
June 5, 2026
Updated
October 28, 2026
Holders of MetLife Universal Plus and Flexiplus universal life policies sold in Canada from 1987 to 1998 are in line for compensation from the $213.5 million Sun Life settlement the Ontario court approved in October 2026. No payment date has been announced, and OptiMet policyholders receive no benefits.
What Is the Sun Life MetLife Class Action Settlement About?
A $213.5 million class action settlement has been approved in litigation involving certain individual life insurance policies sold by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company of Canada, also known as MetLife, in the 1980s and 1990s.The class action concerns three types of universal life insurance policies: Universal Plus, Flexiplus and Optimet. According to the certified class action notice, the lawsuit alleges that certain cost of insurance charges and administration fees were adjusted contrary to the policy contracts, allegedly causing some policyholders to pay more than they should have.
The case also involves the meaning of the "Maximum Premium" number listed in certain policies. Plaintiffs contend that this number represented the highest annual premium a policyholder would ever have to pay to keep the policy in force.
The policies were originally sold by MetLife in Canada from 1987 through 1998. They were later administered by Mutual Life Assurance Company of Canada, Clarica Life Insurance Company and Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada.
Sun Life denies wrongdoing. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice approved the settlement, according to a class counsel release and Canadian Press reports published October 27, 2026. Class counsel described it as fair, reasonable and in the best interests of the class, citing the court. No payment date had been announced as of October 28, 2026.
Status
Final Approval Granted
approval reported October 27, 2026 · Ontario Superior Court of Justice · payments pending
Settlement Amount
Up to $213.5 Million
total settlement value for eligible Universal Plus and Flexiplus policyholders
Claim Deadline
Not Announced
no claim form has been posted · distribution details not yet announced
Proof Required
Policy Records May Help
keep policy documents, statements, premium notices and Sun Life or MetLife letters
Who Qualifies?
The class action was certified on behalf of three national subclasses involving policies sold by MetLife in Canada during the period 1987 through 1998. Being a member of one of these subclasses is not the same as receiving money: under the approved settlement, only Universal Plus and Flexiplus policyholders are in line for compensation. According to the official class action website, OptiMet policyholders will not receive benefits under the settlement, though they remain part of the certified class.Universal Plus Class
You may be included if you owned or currently own a Universal Plus policy sold by MetLife in Canada during the period 1987 through 1998, including successor owners of the policy.Flexiplus Class
You may be included if you owned or currently own a Flexiplus policy sold by MetLife in Canada during the period 1987 through 1998, including successor owners of the policy, and the monthly cost of insurance and/or monthly administration fee was increased in one or more of 2001, 2006, 2015 or the ninth year of the policy.OptiMet Class
You may be included in the certified class if you owned or currently own an OptiMet policy sold by MetLife in Canada during the period 1987 through 1998, including successor owners of the policy, where an increased cost of insurance rate was charged and paid starting in year nine of the policy. Note, however, that the official class action website states OptiMet policyholders will not receive monetary benefits under the settlement.Free settlement alerts
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How Much Can You Get?
The approved settlement provides up to $213.5 million in total value, which class counsel describes as the largest reported settlement of a life insurance policy dispute in Canada.Exact individual payment amounts have not been announced. Compensation may depend on the type of policy, whether the policy is current or former, policy history, charges paid and the final settlement terms approved by the court.
According to the official class action website, the settlement provides direct monetary compensation to certain current and former Flexiplus policyholders for a portion of past cost of insurance and administration fee increases, and to certain current and former Universal Plus policyholders for a portion of the cost of insurance charges paid in excess of the "Maximum Premium" amounts set out in their policies.
The settlement also includes non-cash relief for current policyholders: a freeze on cost of insurance rates and administration fees for current Flexiplus policyholders, and a cap on future cost of insurance charges for current Universal Plus policyholders.
OptiMet policyholders will not receive benefits under the settlement, according to the official class action website.
Can You File a Claim Now?
No claim form has been announced. The court has approved the settlement, but the public reports on the approval do not say whether eligible policyholders will be paid automatically from Sun Life's policy records or will need to file a claim.Class members can review the official class action website and register their information with class counsel to receive updates about the distribution.
Do You Need Proof?
The distribution process has not been posted yet. Because this case involves specific life insurance policies, documents that may help confirm ownership, successor ownership, policy type, payment history or charges are worth keeping.Useful records may include policy documents, annual statements, premium notices, letters from MetLife, Mutual Life, Clarica or Sun Life, proof of successor ownership and records showing cost of insurance or administration fee charges.
Has the Court Approved It?
Yes. The approval hearing was scheduled for September 8, 2026, and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice approved the settlement, according to a class counsel release and Canadian Press reports published October 27, 2026. The public reports do not give the date of the court's order.Approval does not by itself mean money moves: payments follow once the order is final and any appeal period has run. No payment date had been announced as of October 28, 2026.
Can You Opt Out?
The opt-out deadline listed in the certified class action notice was September 17, 2021.Class members who did not opt out by that deadline generally remain part of the class action and will be bound by the result, including any court-approved settlement.
Key Dates
• 1987 through 1998: MetLife sold the affected Universal Plus, Flexiplus and Optimet policies in Canada.• September 5, 2018: The Ontario Court of Appeal certified the lawsuit as a national class action (Fehr v. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, 2018 ONCA 718).
• February 20, 2020: The Ontario Superior Court of Justice settled the certification order.
• September 17, 2021: Opt-out deadline passed.
• April 30, 2026: Sun Life announced a settlement in principle valued at up to $213.5 million.
• June 2, 2026: The official class action website posted the settlement details, including confirmation that OptiMet policyholders will not receive benefits.
• August 31, 2026: Deadline to send Class Counsel written submissions supporting or opposing the settlement.
• September 8, 2026: Settlement approval hearing scheduled.
• October 27, 2026: Class counsel and the Canadian Press reported that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice had approved the settlement.
What Happens Next?
The next step is the distribution. Class counsel has not yet published payment amounts, timing or whether eligible policyholders must take any action, and the official class action website is where those details will be posted. Current Flexiplus policyholders also receive the rate and fee freeze, and current pre-1992 Universal Plus policyholders the cap on future cost of insurance charges.Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for the Sun Life MetLife class action settlement?
The class action involves certain Universal Plus, Flexiplus and OptiMet life insurance policies sold by MetLife in Canada between 1987 and 1998 and later administered by Sun Life. Under the approved settlement, only current and former Universal Plus and Flexiplus policyholders receive monetary compensation. According to the official class action website, OptiMet policyholders will not receive benefits under the settlement.Is the settlement approved?
Yes. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice approved the settlement, according to a class counsel release and Canadian Press reports published October 27, 2026. No payment date had been announced as of October 28, 2026.How much is the settlement?
The court-approved settlement provides up to $213.5 million in total value. Individual payment amounts have not been announced.Can policyholders file a claim now?
No claim form has been announced, and the public reports do not say whether payments will be automatic. Class members can check the official website for distribution details.What is the next important date?
No payment date had been announced as of October 28, 2026.Sources
• Official Class Action Website: SunLifeClassAction.com• Case Updates: Sun Life Class Action Updates
• Sun Life Announcement: Sun Life Reaches Settlement in Principle to Resolve Class Action
Related Cost-of-Insurance Settlements
Other universal life insurance cases involve similar claims that cost of insurance or administration charges were raised beyond what the policies allowed:• Kansas City Life $40M Cost-of-Insurance Settlement
• Pacific Life PDX Insurance Settlement
For more class actions keep scrolling below.
Settlement Amount
Up to $213.5 million
Case Title
Fehr v. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada
Case Number
2018 ONCA 718 (certification)
Court
Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Final Approval Hearing
September 8, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. — settlement approved (reported October 27, 2026)
Covered Policies
Universal Plus, Flexiplus and OptiMet policies sold by MetLife in Canada from 1987 through 1998
Only Universal Plus and Flexiplus policyholders are compensated under the approved settlement; OptiMet policyholders receive no benefits
Class Counsel
Kim Spencer McPhee Barristers P.C.
Claim Deadline
Not announced
Proof Required
Claim process not yet announced
Official Website
SunLifeClassAction.com
