Cigna Pension Plan Class Action Lawsuit Settlement

A court has ruled that Cigna must pay additional pension benefits to remedy allegedly misleading statements made in its summary plan description. If you participated in a Cigna pension plan before 1998, you may be entitled to increased pension benefits.

The Cigna pension plan class action lawsuit was filed in 2001 by plaintiff Janice Amara, an account manager who was employed by Cigna for 29 years before she retired in 2003.

Amara filed the class action lawsuit against the Cigna pension plan on behalf of herself and 27,000 pension plan participants and beneficiaries, alleging that Cigna deliberately failed to disclose significant reductions when it changed from a traditional defined benefit pension plan (the “Part A” Plan) to a cash balance pension formula (the “Part B” Plan) in 1998.

On Dec. 20, 2012, the district court held that Cigna “affirmatively misled and prevented employees from obtaining information that would have aided them in evaluating the distinctions between the old and new plans,” and the court ordered “A+B” benefits to remedy the disclosure violations.

Cigna appealed the decision, and on May 16, 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the district court had the authority to award additional pension benefits. On Dec. 23, 2014, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s decision to provide an “A+B” remedy to Class Members, denying Cigna’s appeal.

The “A+B” remedy ensures that eligible former and current Cigna employees will receive the full value of the retirement benefits they earned before Cigna converted its traditional formula to a cash balance formula. In addition, they will be entitled to all of the cash balance credits that were earned after the conversion.

Who’s Eligible

Class Members of the Cigna pension lawsuit include all current or former Cigna employees who participated in the Cigna Pension plan before Jan. 1, 1998 and who also participated in the “Part B” Cigna pension plan at any time since Jan. 1, 1998.

Potential Award

Varies.

Class Members are entitled to receive the full value of the retirement benefits they earned before Cigna converted its traditional formula to a cash balance formula, plus all of the cash benefits they earned after the conversion.

Proof of Purchase

N/A

Claim Form

ADDRESS VERIFICATION FORM (PDF) »

Claim Form Deadline

N/A. Class Members must confirm or update their current address to ensure they receive future notice about how to obtain their increased benefit.

If you have questions or concerns about the Cigna pension plan litigation, contact lead counsel Stephen R. Bruce at 1-888-886-6487 or MyCignaPension@verizon.net. You can also send mail to the following address:

Stephen R. Bruce Law Offices
1667 K Street NW, Suite 410
Washington, DC 20006

Case Name

Janice C. Amara v. Cigna Corporation and Cigna Pension Plan, Case No. 3:01-cv-02361-JBA, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut

Final Hearing

N/A

Settlement Website

www.MyCignaPension.com

Claims Administrator

KCC Class Action Services
P.O. Box 43395
Providence, RI 02940-9577

Class Counsel

Stephen R. Bruce
STEPHEN R. BRUCE LAW OFFICES

Thomas G. Moukawsher
MOUKAWSHER & WALSH LLC

Defense Counsel

Bradford S. Babbitt
Erin O’Brien Choquette
James A. Wade
Brett J. Boskiewicz
ROBINSON & COLE

Christopher A. Parlo
Jamie M. Kohen
Jeremy P. Blumenfield
Joseph J. Costello
MORGAN LEWIS & BOCKIUS

Elizabeth A. Arana
BROWN RUDNICK BERLACK ISRAELS