Frequently Asked Questions

A Court authorized this Settlement Website because you have a right to know about a proposed Settlement of this class action lawsuit and about all of your options before the Court decides whether to give final approval to the Settlement. The Notice explains the lawsuit, the Settlement, the benefits and your legal rights.

The Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Tennessee is overseeing this case. The case is called Weyant v. Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, Case No. CC23CV2140. The person who has sued, Janice Weyant, is called the Plaintiff. The entity being sued ("TFMIC"), is called the Defendant.

In a class action, one or more people called the class representatives (in this case, Plaintiff Janice Weyant) sue on behalf of a group or a “class” of people who have similar claims. In a class action, the court resolves the issues for all class members, except for those who exclude themselves from the class.

This lawsuit alleges Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, referred to as TFMIC breached its insurance policies with its insureds that submitted first party insurance claims on automobiles deemed to be a total loss by settling such claims for less than the actual cash value of the vehicles because the settlement of such claims involved the utilization of an Autosource Report that applied a Typical Negotiation Adjustment to at least one comparable vehicle to assist TFMIC and its insureds in agreeing upon the actual cash value of the insureds’ total loss vehicles as of the time of the loss. TFMIC denies that it breached its contractual duty to pay actual cash value, violated any law, and/or owes any liability. TFMIC also defends based on the fact that most of its insureds, at the time they settled their first party total loss claims, executed written release agreements that release and discharge any further claims against TFMIC related to the underlying event that gave rise to the total loss claim and/or related to your underlying policy of insurance under which it was settled. 

The Court has not decided whether the Plaintiff or Defendant should win this case. Instead, both sides agreed to a Settlement. That way, they avoid the uncertainties and expenses associated with ongoing litigation, and Settlement Class Members will get compensation.

The Settlement Class is defined as:

All persons who made a first party insurance claim on an automobile deemed to be a total loss under a policy of insurance issued by Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company where the claim was submitted from September 26, 2017, through April 7, 2026, and where the settlement of such claim involved the utilization of an Autosource Report that applied a Typical Negotiation Adjustment to at least one comparable vehicle to assist TFMIC and its insureds in agreeing upon the actual cash value of the insureds’ total loss vehicles as of the time of the loss. 

If you wish to remain in the Settlement Class, you are not required to do anything at this time. As a member of the Settlement Class, you will give up your rights to sue TFMIC in the future regarding the claims in this case. You will automatically receive a cash payment by check after the Settlement receives final approval.

Monetary Relief: TFMIC will pay $5,850,000.00 into a Settlement Fund Account for the benefit of the Settlement Class. 

The amount in the Settlement Fund Account will be distributed to Settlement Class Members who do not opt out of the Settlement on a pro rata basis, after deducting any Court-approved attorneys’ fees and expenses, Service Award to the Settlement Class Representative, and costs of settlement administration. Payments to Settlement Class Members will come by check unless you elect to receive payment electronically by Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, electronic funds transfer, etc. via the “E-Payment Election” button on this Settlement Website.

The Court will hold a hearing to consider the fairness of the Settlement on August 14, 2026. If the Court approves the Settlement, Settlement Class Members will receive their payment within 90 days after the Effective Date (i.e., after final approval and resolution of any appeals).

If the Settlement becomes final, you will give up (or “release”) your rights to sue TFMIC and certain of its affiliates ("Released Parties") regarding the Released Claims, which are described and defined in the Settlement Agreement. Unless you exclude yourself (see Question 12), you will release the Released Claims. You may access the Settlement Agreement through the “Important Documents” section of this Settlement Website.

The Settlement Agreement describes the Released Claims with specific descriptions, so read it carefully. If you have any questions you may speak to the lawyers listed in Question 10 for free or you may, of course, speak to your own lawyer.

The Court has appointed Hank Bates and Lee Lowther of Carney Bates & Pulliam, PLLC, to be the attorneys representing the Settlement Class. They are called “Class Counsel.” After conducting an extensive investigation, they believe that the Settlement Agreement is fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the Settlement Class. You will not be charged out-of-pocket for these lawyers. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer in this case, you may hire one at your own expense.

Class Counsel’s attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses will be paid from the Settlement Fund in an amount determined and awarded by the Court. Class Counsel is entitled to seek up to one-third of the $5.85 million Settlement Fund, but the Court may award less than this amount.

Class Counsel may also seek a Service Award of up to $5,000.00 for the Settlement Class Representative for her service in helping to bring and settle the case. Any court-awarded Service Award will be paid out of the Settlement Fund, but the Court may award less than this amount.

To exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you must mail or otherwise deliver a letter stating that you wish to be excluded. Your letter must include (a "request for exclusion"):

1. The name and number of this case, Weyant v. Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, Case No. CC23CV2140;
2. Your full name and mailing address;
3. A statement that you wish to be excluded; and 
4. Your handwritten or electronically imaged written signature.

You must mail or deliver your request for exclusion, postmarked or received by no later than July 11, 2026 to:

Weyant v. Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration
PO Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391 

No. Unless you exclude yourself, you give up any right to sue TMFIC for the Released Claims being resolved by this Settlement.

No. If you exclude yourself, you are not eligible to receive a payment from the Settlement Fund Account.

If you’re a Settlement Class Member, you may ask the Court to deny approval by filing an objection. You may object to any aspect of the Settlement, Class Counsel’s request for attorneys’ fees and expenses, or the request for a Service Award. You can give reasons why you think the Court should not give its approval. The Court will consider your views.

If you choose to make an objection, you must mail or file with the Court a letter or brief stating that you object to the Settlement. Your letter or brief must include the name and number of this case, Weyant v. Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, Case No. CC23CV2140, as well as the following information:

1.  Your full name and mailing address;
2. An explanation of any and all your reasons for your objections, including citations to legal authority and supporting evidence, and attaching any materials you rely on for your objections;
3. The name and contact information of any and all attorneys representing, advising, or in any way assisting you in connection with your objection;
4. A statement indicating whether you or your attorney intends to appear at the Final Approval Hearing;  
5. Your handwritten or electronically imaged written signature; and
6. If you or any of the Objecting lawyers have objected to any class action settlement where you or the Objecting lawyer asked for or received any payment in exchange for dismissal of the objection, or any related appeal, without any modification to the settlement, then you must include a statement identifying each such case by full case caption and amount of payment received. 
    

You must mail or deliver your written objection, postmarked no later than July 11, 2026 to:

Montgomery County Court, 2 Millenium Plz 
Clarksville, Tennessee 37040

You must also mail or otherwise deliver a copy of your written objection to Class Counsel and TFMIC’s counsel at the following addresses:

Objecting simply means telling the Court that you don’t like something about the Settlement. You can object only if you stay in the Settlement Class. Excluding yourself from the Settlement Class is telling the Court that you don’t want to be part of the Settlement Class. If you exclude yourself, you have no right to object or receive a monetary benefit because the case no longer affects you.

The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing at 9:00 a.m. on August 14, 2026, at the Montgomery County Courthouse, 2 Millennium Plaza, Suite 115, Clarksville, TN 37040. The purpose of the hearing will be for the Court to determine whether to approve the Settlement as fair, reasonable, adequate, and in the best interests of the Class; to consider the Class Counsel’s request for attorneys’ fees and expenses; and to consider the request for a Service Award to the Settlement Class Representative. At that hearing, the Court will be available to hear any objections and arguments concerning the fairness of the Settlement.

The hearing may be postponed to a different date or time without notice, so it is a good idea to check this Settlement Website periodically for updated information or call Class Counsel at: (888) 551-9944. If, however, you timely objected to the Settlement and advised the Court that you intend to appear and speak at the Final Approval Hearing, you will receive notice of any change in the date of such Final Approval Hearing.

No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. But you are welcome to come at your own expense. If you send an objection or comment, you don’t have to attend the hearing to talk about it. As long as you filed and mailed your written objection on time, the Court will consider it. You may also retain your own lawyer (at your own expense) to attend, but it’s not required.

Yes. You may ask the Court for permission to speak at the Final Approval Hearing. To do so, you must include in your letter or brief objecting to the Settlement a statement saying that your or your attorney intends to appear at the Final Approval Hearing.

The Notice contains only a summary of the Settlement and the proceedings to date. The Settlement Agreement and other filings are available for review and copying at the office of the Clerk of the Court for the Circuit Court of Montogomery County, Tennessee, 2 Millenium Plaza, Suite 115, Clarksville, TN 37040 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding Court holidays. You can also get a copy of the Settlement Agreement here. You may also write with questions to the Settlement Administrator at: Weyant v. Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration, PO Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391. You can also call the Settlement Administrator at (833) 447-6811 or Class Counsel at: (888) 551-9944, if you have any questions. Before doing so, however, please read this full Settlement Website carefully. You may also find additional information elsewhere on the Important Documents section of this Settlement Website.

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT, THE CLERK’S OFFICE, DEFENDANT, OR DEFENDANT’S COUNSEL TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ACTION OR THIS NOTICE. THEY CANNOT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSS THE ACTION.