The Travel Guard settlement is a $23,997,500 class action deal resolving claims that Travel Guard and its AIG affiliates charged an unauthorized “Assistance Fee” on travel insurance sold to buyers in California and Washington. A federal judge gave final approval on December 9, 2024, but an objector’s appeal to the Ninth Circuit has frozen payouts, and no money has gone out as of early 2025.1TravelFeeSettlement.com. Travel Fee Settlement
What the Suit Was About
Plaintiffs Tamika Miller and Julianne Chuanroong sued Travel Guard Group, AIG Travel, and National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh in the Northern District of California in December 2021, claiming Travel Guard bundled its insurance policies with “non-insurance assistance services” like lost-luggage help and overseas medical coordination, then charged buyers a separate Assistance Fee for services the insurance itself already covered. The complaint said that extra charge pushed the total price above what state insurance regulators had approved and alleged unfair business practices, false advertising, fraud, and violations of Washington’s Consumer Protection Act.2CaseMine. Miller v. Travel Guard Grp., 21-cv-09751-TLT Travel Guard sold the plans through Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, United Airlines, its own website and call center, and travel agents.3TravelFeeSettlement.com. Frequently Asked Questions The defendants agreed to settle without admitting liability.
Who Qualified
The class covers anyone who bought at least one qualifying Travel Guard plan between December 17, 2017, and January 18, 2024, was charged a single plan price that included an Assistance Fee, and had a billing address in California or Washington.4Angeion Public (Settlement Notice). Travel Guard Settlement Notice Buyers outside those two states are not part of this settlement. Anyone who already received a full refund on every qualifying plan they bought is excluded, along with defendant employees and the court staff on the case.3TravelFeeSettlement.com. Frequently Asked Questions
The class is large. The court’s preliminary approval order estimated up to 25 million members, with the parties projecting between 750,000 and 1,250,000 people would actually file claims.2CaseMine. Miller v. Travel Guard Grp., 21-cv-09751-TLT
The Claim Deadline Has Passed
The deadline to file a claim, opt out, or object was August 13, 2024. That same date closed all three windows.3TravelFeeSettlement.com. Frequently Asked Questions If you did not submit a claim by then, you cannot join the payout now. Claimants did not need to attach proof of purchase, because settlement administrator Angeion Group had access to Travel Guard’s own records to confirm eligibility and calculate each person’s share.5TravelFeeSettlement.com. Important Documents
How Much Each Claimant Will Get
There is no flat payment. After the court subtracts notice and administration costs, taxes, attorneys’ fees (class counsel Gutride Safier requested up to 30% of the fund), incentive awards of up to $5,000 for each of the three named plaintiffs, and payments to proposed intervenors, the remaining “Net Settlement Fund” is split among approved claimants.4Angeion Public (Settlement Notice). Travel Guard Settlement Notice3TravelFeeSettlement.com. Frequently Asked Questions
Each claimant’s share is proportional to the total Assistance Fees that person paid across all qualifying plans, as shown in Travel Guard’s records. There are no fixed amounts, no tiers, and no caps, so what any one person receives depends on both their own fees paid and the total number of valid claims filed.6Angeion Public (Claim Form). Travel Guard Claim Form
Why Payments Are on Hold
Judge Trina L. Thompson granted final approval on December 9, 2024, after moving the hearing from October 1 to December 10, 2024, to get additional information.3TravelFeeSettlement.com. Frequently Asked Questions5TravelFeeSettlement.com. Important Documents Approval did not release any money. An objector, Eric Alan Isaacson, filed a notice of appeal, which automatically stays the settlement.7Justia. Miller, et al. v. Travel Guard Group, Inc., et al., No. 25-275
The appeal is pending in the Ninth Circuit as Case No. 25-275, opened January 15, 2025. Isaacson’s opening brief was due April 1, 2025, and the class response was due May 1, 2025. In March 2025, Isaacson filed an emergency motion to stay district court proceedings, and the appellees opposed it.7Justia. Miller, et al. v. Travel Guard Group, Inc., et al., No. 25-275
What to Do Now
If you filed a claim by the August 2024 deadline, there is nothing more to submit; wait for the appeal to resolve. No cash will move until the Ninth Circuit is done. The settlement administrator has said the case website will be updated once the appellate process concludes, so that page is the place to check for a payment date.1TravelFeeSettlement.com. Travel Fee Settlement