Farmers Insurance Exchange Company

A day after Farmers Insurance Exchange was slapped with a $90-million judgment in an overtime case, a lawsuit was filed against 21st Century Insurance Group charging that company with cheating its claims adjusters and examiners out of premium pay. Similar lawsuits are pending against at least nine other insurers in California, where labor laws and court rulings favor white-collar workers' demands for overtime pay.

Farmers Insurance Exchange agreed Friday to shell out up to $210 million for failing to pay overtime to 2,400 claims adjusters, settling what lawyers said could be the nation's largest white-collar overtime case. An Alameda County judge approved the agreement three years after a jury awarded Farmers' adjusters $90 million in back pay. The Los Angeles-based insurance giant agreed to pay interest and fees to the plaintiffs' lawyers, bringing the total to about $170 million.

Farmers Insurance Exchange agreed Friday to shell out up to $210 million for failing to pay overtime to 2,400 claims adjusters, settling what lawyers said could be the nation's largest white-collar overtime case. An Alameda County judge approved the agreement three years after a jury awarded Farmers' adjusters $90 million in back pay. The Los Angeles-based insurance giant agreed to pay interest and fees to the plaintiffs' lawyers, bringing the total to about $170 million.

A day after Farmers Insurance Exchange was slapped with a $90-million judgment in an overtime case, a lawsuit was filed against 21st Century Insurance Group charging that company with cheating its claims adjusters and examiners out of premium pay. Similar lawsuits are pending against at least nine other insurers in California, where labor laws and court rulings favor white-collar workers' demands for overtime pay.

Farmers Insurance Exchange of Los Angeles has sued a former employee and 27 auto body shops, accusing them of submitting fraudulent property damage reports and repair estimates. The lawsuit is the latest insurer effort to combat false claims using a California statute that allows companies to bring civil lawsuits against those suspected of insurance fraud. Previous lawsuits targeted doctors, attorneys and others accused of faking accidents or exaggerating injuries.

California's largest auto insurer, Farmers Insurance Group, announced Tuesday that it was reducing its rates by an average of 14.5% for policies issued by its Farmers Insurance Exchange subsidiary. Also, current holders of those policies will get a one-time 10% rebate when they renew them. The move, announced Tuesday, puts the company in compliance with a state law passed in 2006 that changed the way auto insurance providers could calculate their rates, said Mark Toohey, Farmers' senior vice president.

Farmers Insurance Exchange of Los Angeles has sued a former employee and 27 auto body shops, accusing them of submitting fraudulent property damage reports and repair estimates. The lawsuit is the latest insurer effort to combat false claims using a California statute that allows companies to bring civil lawsuits against those suspected of insurance fraud. Previous lawsuits targeted doctors, attorneys and others accused of faking accidents or exaggerating injuries.