What is the Word and Brown Insurance data breach settlement?

A $330,000 class action settlement resolving claims that Word & Brown Insurance Administrators, Inc. failed to protect personal information from a data breach discovered on or about October 23, 2024. Hackers gained unauthorized access to the company's computer systems and potentially accessed personal identifiable information. The case is Goodwin v. Word & Brown Insurance Administrators, Inc., Case No. 25CV04934, in the Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma.

How much can I get from the Word and Brown settlement?

You have two options. Option 1: Up to $1,500 for documented out-of-pocket losses from fraud or identity theft caused by the breach, plus 2 years of credit monitoring with $1 million in identity theft insurance. Option 2: A $45 cash payment (subject to pro rata reduction if many people file). You cannot choose both — it's one or the other. Option 1 includes credit monitoring on top of the loss reimbursement, while Option 2 is just the cash.

Who qualifies for the Word and Brown Insurance data breach settlement?

Any living individual residing in the United States whose personal information was impacted in the data breach that Word & Brown Insurance Administrators discovered on or about October 23, 2024. If you received a breach notification from the company, you qualify.

When is the deadline to file a Word and Brown settlement claim?

The deadline to submit a claim form is February 19, 2026. Claims can be filed online at WBIASettlement.com or mailed to the Settlement Administrator.

What is Word and Brown Insurance Administrators?

Word & Brown Insurance Administrators, Inc. (WBIA) is an insurance administration company. They work behind the scenes handling the administrative side of health insurance — processing claims, managing benefits enrollment, and handling paperwork for insurance brokers and employers. You may not have chosen them directly, but if your employer or insurance broker uses Word & Brown to administer your health benefits, your personal information was in their systems.

What proof do I need for the Word and Brown settlement?

For the $45 cash payment: No documentation of losses is needed — just submit the claim form with your unique ID from the postcard notice. For the $1,500 out-of-pocket loss reimbursement: You need documentation showing actual, unreimbursed monetary losses from fraud or identity theft that were substantially more likely than not caused by the breach.

Can I get both the $45 cash and the credit monitoring?

No. The settlement offers two paths: (1) documented loss reimbursement up to $1,500 PLUS credit monitoring, or (2) $45 cash by itself. If you choose the $45 cash payment, you do not get credit monitoring. If you have actual losses from the breach, the first option is much more valuable.

What happens if I do nothing in the Word and Brown settlement?

If you do nothing, you get no money, no credit monitoring, and you give up your right to sue Word & Brown Insurance Administrators over this breach. The only way to get any benefit is to file a claim by February 19, 2026.

Word & Brown Insurance Data Breach Settlement: $45 Cash or Up to $1,500 + Credit Monitoring

By Steve Levine

Word and Brown Insurance Administrators Data Breach Class Action Settlement

Published: February 14, 2026

Claim Form Deadline: February 19, 2026

Payout: $45 cash (no proof needed) OR up to $1,500 for fraud losses + 2 years credit monitoring with $1M insurance

Who Qualifies: Anyone who received a data breach notice from Word & Brown Insurance Administrators about the October 2024 breach

If you received a letter from Word & Brown Insurance Administrators telling you your personal information was involved in a data breach, you can file a claim for cash and credit monitoring. The deadline is February 19, 2026.

In October 2024, hackers gained unauthorized access to Word & Brown's computer systems and potentially accessed files containing personal information. A $330,000 class action settlement has been reached, and you have two ways to get paid.

Who Is Word & Brown Insurance Administrators?

You may have never heard this company's name before, and that's normal. Word & Brown Insurance Administrators (WBIA) is a behind-the-scenes company that handles the administrative side of health insurance. They don't sell you a policy directly — instead, they work with insurance brokers and employers to process claims, manage benefits enrollment, and handle the paperwork that keeps health insurance plans running.

If your employer uses an insurance broker that works with Word & Brown, your personal information — name, Social Security number, health plan details — may have been stored on their systems without you ever knowing the company existed. That's why getting a breach notice from a company you've never heard of can be confusing, but it doesn't mean it's a scam. It means the company that was handling your insurance paperwork got hacked.

What Happened?

On or about October 23, 2024, Word & Brown discovered that a third party had gained unauthorized access to its computer systems. The breach potentially exposed personal identifiable information of certain individuals whose data was in the company's systems.

The lawsuit alleges the company failed to adequately protect this information. Word & Brown denies all allegations and any wrongdoing. No court has made any determination of fault. The two sides agreed to settle.

Who Qualifies?

You qualify if you are a living U.S. resident whose personal information was impacted in the October 2024 data breach. If you received a postcard notice about this settlement, you've been identified as a class member.

You'll need the unique ID from that postcard notice to file your claim.

What Can You Get?

This settlement gives you two options. You pick one or the other — you can't choose both.

Option 1: Documented losses + credit monitoring. If the breach actually cost you money — through fraud, identity theft, or misuse of your personal information — you can claim up to $1,500 in reimbursement for documented, unreimbursed losses. The losses must have been substantially more likely than not caused by the breach, and must have occurred between October 1, 2024 and seven days after the court-approved settlement notice was sent. On top of the loss reimbursement, you also get two years of credit monitoring with at least $1,000,000 in identity theft protection insurance.

Option 2: $45 cash payment. If you don't have documented losses but you were affected by the breach, you can choose a flat $45 cash payment instead. This amount is subject to pro rata reduction — meaning if a lot of people file claims, it could go down. If you choose this option, you do not get the credit monitoring.

If you have actual fraud losses, Option 1 is significantly more valuable. If you don't have losses but want something for the inconvenience, Option 2 gets you a quick cash payment.

What Proof Do I Need?

For the $45 cash payment, no documentation of losses is needed — you just submit the claim form with your unique ID from the postcard notice.

For the $1,500 loss reimbursement, you need documentation showing actual, unreimbursed monetary losses from fraud or identity theft that were substantially more likely than not caused by the breach. This means receipts, bank statements, or other records showing what happened and how much it cost you.

Important Dates

• Data Breach Discovered: October 23, 2024
• Eligible Loss Period: October 1, 2024 – 7 days after settlement notice sent
• Opt-Out Deadline: January 20, 2026 (passed)
• Objection Deadline: January 20, 2026 (passed)
• Final Approval Hearing: January 7, 2026 at 3:00 PM — Empire College Annex, 3035 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 200, Courtroom 17, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
• Claim Form Deadline: February 19, 2026

Attorneys' Fees

Class Counsel (John J. Nelson of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC) will request up to $110,000 in attorneys' fees and costs. A service award of up to $1,500 is being requested for class representative Daniel Goodwin. These amounts come from the $330,000 settlement fund.

What Happens If I Do Nothing?

If you do nothing, you get no money and no credit monitoring. You also give up your right to sue Word & Brown Insurance Administrators on your own over this breach. The only way to get any benefit is to file a claim by February 19, 2026.

How to File a Claim

File your claim online at WBIASettlement.com. You'll need your unique ID from the postcard notice you received. You can also download a paper claim form from the website or request one by mail. The deadline is February 19, 2026.

File a Claim

How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?

Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:

Case Information

The case is Goodwin v. Word & Brown Insurance Administrators, Inc., Case No. 25CV04934, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Sonoma, before Judge Jane Gaskell.

Class Representative: Daniel Goodwin.

Class Counsel: John J. Nelson of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC (San Diego, CA).

Defense Counsel: James W. Davidson of O'Hagan Meyer (Chicago, IL).

Settlement Administrator: CPT Group, Inc., PO Box 19504, Irvine, CA 92623.

Settlement Website: WBIASettlement.com

Settlement Notice

Sources

• Class Action Settlement Notice, Goodwin v. Word & Brown Insurance Administrators, Inc., Case No. 25CV04934 (Superior Court of California, Sonoma County)
• Settlement Website: WBIASettlement.com

Filing Class Action Settlement Claims

Please submit only truthful information when filing your claim. If you are unsure whether you qualify, contact the Settlement Administrator or Class Counsel. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not the settlement administrator or a law firm.

For more class actions keep scrolling below.

Open Class Action Lawsuit and Class Action Settlement

$25 Amazon Gift Card

Enter Here

Video Game Addicts Lawsuit

Deadline: Pending

Submit Claim

DraftKings & FanDuel Addiction Lawsuits

Status: Open

Submit Claim

Children playing Roblox and using Discord?

Pre-Qualify Here

Submit Claim

RoundUp Cancer Lawsuits: How to Qualify

Status: Open to Claims

Submit Claim

$5.5M Mid America Pet Food Settlement

Deadline: February 5, 2026

Submit Claim

File a rebate form to get a coupon, refund, rebate, or payment from this class action settlement

$4.17M RevitaLash Conditioner Settlement

Deadline: April 20, 2026

Submit Claim

$87.5M Beef Prices Settlement

Deadline: June 30, 2026

Submit Claim

Dollar General Bait & Switch Settlement

Deadline: April 13, 2026

Submit Claim

Class Action Summary
Status	Open — Accepting Claims
Claim Deadline	February 19, 2026
Payout Options	$45 cash OR up to $1,500 losses + 2 yrs credit monitoring w/ $1M insurance
Settlement Fund	$330,000
Category	Data Breach / Insurance Administration / Identity Theft
Defendant	Word & Brown Insurance Administrators, Inc.
Breach Discovered	October 23, 2024
Who Qualifies	U.S. residents whose PII was impacted in the breach
Case Number	25CV04934
Court	Superior Court of California, Sonoma County
Judge	Jane Gaskell
Opt-Out Deadline	January 20, 2026 (passed)
Final Approval Hearing	January 7, 2026 at 3:00 PM — Santa Rosa, CA
Attorneys' Fees	Up to $110,000 (from settlement fund)
Settlement Website	WBIASettlement.com