Alberton v. Commonwealth Land Title Insurance

247 F.R.D. 469, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6975, 2008 WL 269490
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 31, 2008
DocketCivil Action No. 06-3755
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 247 F.R.D. 469 (Alberton v. Commonwealth Land Title Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Alberton v. Commonwealth Land Title Insurance, 247 F.R.D. 469, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6975, 2008 WL 269490 (E.D. Pa. 2008).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

EDUARDO C. ROBRENO, District Judge.

Plaintiff A.D. Alberton (“Alberton”) brings this action on behalf of himself and others similarly situated against Defendant Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company (“Commonwealth”), alleging that Commonwealth overcharged him and others for title insurance when they refinanced their homes. Currently before the Court is plaintiffs motion for class certification. For the reasons that follow, the Court will grant the motion, certifying a class of plaintiffs who purchased title insurance from Commonwealth within ten years of a prior purchase of title insurance. In doing so, it joins a growing list of courts around the country that have certified similar classes of insurance purchasers bringing similar claims against insurance sellers and arising from practices nearly identical to the sales practices challenged here.1 See Chesner v. Stewart Title Guar. Co., No. 06-0476 (N.D.Ohio Jan. 23, 2008); Cohen v. Chicago Title Ins. Co., 242 F.R.D. 295 (E.D.Pa.2007); Woods v. Stewart Title Guar. Co., No. 06-0705, 2007 WL 2872219 (D.Md. Sept. 17, 2007); Mitchell-Tracey v. United Gen. Title Ins. Co., 237 F.R.D. 551 (D.Md.2006); Dubin v. Sec. Union Title Ins. Co., 162 Ohio App.3d 97, 832 N.E.2d 815 (2005); In re Coordinated Title Ins. Cases, 784 N.Y.S.2d 919 (N.Y.Sup.2004); Mitchell v. Chicago Title Ins. Co., No. 02-017299, 2003 WL 23786983 (Minn.Dist.Ct. Dec.22,2003).

1. BACKGROUND

A. Facts

1. Commonwealth’s operations

Defendant Commonwealth is engaged in the business of selling title insurance. The purchase of title insurance frequently accompanies a mortgage or refinancing transaction. The insurance provides a guarantee to the owner and/or lender that the property being purchased or refinanced is free and clear of liens and encumbrances, other than those specifically included in the title policy. There are two types of title insurance policies available: an owner’s policy, which is generally purchased by the borrower-homeowner for the protection of the borrower’s property interest, and a lender’s policy, which is generally paid for by the borrower but purchased for the protection of the lender’s security interest in the property.

Commonwealth uses two sales methods that are relevant to this case. First, in some areas, Commonwealth engages in direct operations, negotiating directly with consumers for the sale of title insurance. Second, Commonwealth maintains agency contracts with title agencies. These contracts authorize the agencies to negotiate insurance contracts, conduct closings and collect money on Commonwealth’s behalf. Commonwealth retains the right to audit and review the closings, related documents and payments. Unless the distinction between Commonwealth and the title agencies is relevant, the Court refers to them collectively as “Commonwealth.”

The rates that Commonwealth may charge for insurance are set out in the Title Insurance Rating Bureau of Pennsylvania Manual (“TIRBOP Manual”),2 which is governed by [474]*474the Pennsylvania Title Act, 40 P.S. 910-1 et seq. The TIRBOP Manual provides for a mandatory three-tiered pricing structure. The default Basic Rate applies when the purchaser of title insurance does not qualify for a special rate. TIRBOP Manual § 5.50, Ex. 36, App. to Def.’s Resp. to PL’s Mot. for Class Certification (doc. no. 74). The Reissue Rate applies when a property owner purchases title insurance within ten years of obtaining a policy issued on the same property. Id. § 5.3. The Reissue Rate is ninety percent (90%) of the Basic Rate. Id. § 5.50. Finally, if the property owner applies for title insurance within three years of obtaining a previous policy, the Refinance Rate, which is eighty percent (80%) of the Reissue Rate, applies. Id. § 5.6.

Section 5.3 set forth the Reissue Rate as follows.

A purchaser of a title insurance policy shall be entitled to purchase this coverage at the reissue rate if the real property to be insured is identical to or is part of real property insured 10 years immediately pri- or to the date the insured transaction closes when evidence of the prior policy is produced notwithstanding the amount of coverage provided by the earlier policy.

Id. § 5.3. Section 5.6 described the Refinance Rate in slightly different language.

When a refinance or substitution loan is made within 3 years from the date of closing of a previously insured mortgage or fee interest and the premises to be insured are identical to or part of the real property previously insured and there has been no change in the fee simple ownership, the Charge shall be 80% of the reissue rate.

Id. § 5.6.

2. Facts relating to the named plaintiff

In 1996, Alberton purchased a property, obtained a mortgage for that property and purchased title insurance from a third party in connection with the mortgage. In 2001, he refinanced the mortgage on the property. He purchased title insurance, again from a third-party insurance company and received the Reissue Rate on that policy.

In 2003, Alberton again refinanced. At this time, he purchased title insurance from Camelot Abstract Incorporated (“Camelot”), a title agency selling insurance on behalf of Commonwealth. Although Alberton’s 2001 purchase of title insurance made him eligible for the Refinance Rate, he received only the Reissue Rate, paying a total of $1,155.38. If Alberton had received the Refinance Rate, he would have received a larger discount, thereby saving $234.08.

At the time of his purchase of title insurance from Camelot, Alberton did not produce evidence of his prior insurance policy. However, Commonwealth did perform a title search on Alberton’s property. That search disclosed the 1996 and 2001 mortgages and title searches.

B. Procedural History

This case was removed from the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on August 23, 2006. Discovery was conducted for almost a year. On October 16, 2007, the Court held a hearing on the instant motion for class certification.

II. MOTION FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION
A. Class Definition

Alberton asks the Court to certify a class of

All persons or entities who, from July 25, 2000 until August 1, 2005, paid premiums for the purchase of title insurance from defendant Commonwealth Title Insurance Company, in connection with a refinance of a mortgage or fee interest with respect to real property located in Pennsylvania that was insured by a prior title insurance policy within ten years of the refinance transaction, and were not charged the applicable Reissue Rate or Refinance Rate discount for title insurance on file with the Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner.

PL’s Mem. in Support of Mot. for Class Certification (PL’s Mem.) (doc. no. 65-2), at 10.

[475]*475B. Class Claims

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Bluebook (online)
247 F.R.D. 469, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6975, 2008 WL 269490, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/alberton-v-commonwealth-land-title-insurance-paed-2008.