NEWARK (CN) - Metropolitan Life Insurance defrauds customers by secretly applying smokers' rates to children who don't smoke, claiming that they will become smokers by the time they are adults, a class action claims in Middlesex County Court.
Plaintiffs claim MetLife conceals this deceitful policy, which violates underwriting guidelines.
They claim MetLife's "'juvenile standard' or 'standard' rate and/or risk class is a blend of smoking and nonsmoking mortality experience. MetLife never disclosed this information to policyholders, defendant's own sales agents, or persons other than those MetLife actuaries and home office personnel involved in pricing MetLife's insurance policies."
Represented by Bruce Greenberg with Lite DePalma Greenberg & Rivas, plaintiffs demand treble damages for consumer fraud.
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.