Brighthouse Life Insurance Settlement: Paid Automatically

What happened

Class period: Policies in force as of April 6, 2021 (as determined by the applicable statute of limitations)

• The lawsuit says Brighthouse Life Insurance Company and its predecessors (MetLife Insurance Company USA, MetLife Insurance Company of Connecticut, and Travelers Insurance Company) did not lower cost of insurance (COI) rates, even though mortality expectations improved and expenses went down.
• In plain terms, the lawsuit says policyholders paid more than they should have to keep their life insurance policies in force.
• The case is Martin v. Brighthouse Life Insurance Company, Case No. 1:21-cv-02923, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, overseen by Judge Margaret M. Garnett.
• The Court certified the case as a class action in 2025. The parties have now agreed to a $9.25 million settlement.
• Brighthouse denies the allegations. The Court has not decided who is right.
• It affects owners of 22 types of UL policies that contain specific COI rate language.

What you can get

Key dates

Who may qualify

• You own or owned a UL insurance policy issued and/or administered by Brighthouse Life Insurance Company
• Your policy contains this language: "We will base these [cost of insurance] rates only on our future outlook for mortality and expenses."
• Your policy was in force as of April 6, 2021, as determined by the applicable statute of limitations
• Your policy is one of the 22 Class Policies: TUL91, TUL, ULX, TUL85, ULXP, TULP, ULXP86, UL, VUL, UL2JH, SPVUL, ULFP85, ULQPL, ULFP88, ULQP85, ULFPP, ULQP88, ULP, GCOUL1, ULS, and the remaining codes listed in FAQ 5 on the official site
• Your policy is in any of the 50 states, Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territory
• Georgia-issued ULXP86 and ULXP88 policies are excluded

How to file

1. No claim form is needed; eligible class members get paid automatically
2. Make sure the Settlement Administrator has your current mailing address
3. Send any address or email change in writing to: Martin v. Brighthouse, Settlement Administrator, PO Box 2477, Portland, OR 97208-2477
4. If you are not sure your policy is included, call 1-877-318-7068
5. Do not opt out if you want a payment

Proof required

• No claim form or documents are required
• Payment is automatic for Settlement Class Members
• Only an opt-out request requires your policy number

Payment timing

Cash payments will be mailed only after the Court approves the settlement and any appeals are resolved. The Fairness Hearing is January 26, 2027. This may take time, so check https://www.brighthouseinsurancecase.com/ for updates.

Important links

• Official website
• FAQs
• Documents

Contact

Extra details

• The $9.25 million fund is reduced by admin costs, attorneys' fees (up to 33.3% plus costs), and a $25,000 service award before payments are made
• If class members opt out, the fund is reduced based on the face value of the policies that opt out
• If you own more than one Class Policy, you can opt out for some and stay in for others
• Opt-out requests must be mailed (not phoned or emailed), include your policy number, and be postmarked by December 11, 2026
• If you opted out by mistake, contact the administrator by December 11, 2026 to withdraw your request
• The official FAQ suggests mailing at least a week early, getting a manual postmark at a post office, or using Certified Mail to meet postmark deadlines
• If you received a notice in 2025, that was for class certification; this is a new notice about the settlement
• Class Counsel is Milberg LLC; you are not charged for their services
• The Fairness Hearing is at 10:30 a.m. ET on January 26, 2027 at the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse, 40 Foley Square, New York, NY 10007, Courtroom 906; it may change or be held by video or phone
• The Settlement Administrator is Epiq
• Do not call the Court or Clerk's Office about this settlement
• Watch for scams: use the official site only

FAQ

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