Star Casualty Settles Florida Total Loss Storage Fee Class Action
Maxim Kharevich did everything right. His vehicle was sitting at a repair shop, racking up storage charges, and he reached out repeatedly to Star Casualty to get answers. Nobody responded. "This guy was emailing them all the time and not getting a response," attorney Andrew P. Irvin of Irvin & Irvin PLLC told Repairer Driven News.
Published: Sep 17, 2026
One driver's ignored emails sparked a class action
Maxim Kharevich did everything right. His vehicle was sitting at a repair shop, racking up storage charges, and he reached out repeatedly to Star Casualty to get answers.
Nobody responded.
"This guy was emailing them all the time and not getting a response," attorney Andrew P. Irvin of Irvin & Irvin PLLC told Repairer Driven News. Irvin said his client came to him specifically because Star Casualty was not paying the fees owed. After digging deeper, Irvin found the problem was far from isolated.
What started as one frustrated driver's complaint revealed a pattern affecting potentially thousands of Florida policyholders. That discovery prompted the class action that Star Casualty has now agreed to settle.
What Star Casualty is accused of doing wrong
The lawsuit alleges two distinct policy violations. First, Star Casualty allegedly failed to pay title transfer fees and tag transfer fees on total loss claims. Second, the insurer allegedly improperly deducted storage and towing charges from actual cash value (ACV) payments owed to policyholders.
Both allegations target a gap that many drivers never notice: the difference between what a policy promises to cover and what the insurer actually pays out after a total loss determination.
Star Casualty denies the allegations.
The case covers policyholders who held a Florida auto insurance policy with Star Casualty between March 22, 2018 and June 26, 2026, submitted a first-party claim adjusted as a total loss, and settled on an ACV basis. Eligible claimants either did not receive the full amount of title and tag transfer fees or had excess storage and towing charges deducted from their ACV payment.
If you've ever filed a total loss claim with a Florida insurer and wondered why your payout felt light, this case is a concrete example of why. Florida drivers already face some of the highest insurance costs in the country, which makes every dollar of a fair settlement count even more.
How much money is on the table, and for whom
The settlement carves out two separate classes with different payment caps.
| Title/tag transfer fees unpaid | Approximately 2,500 | Up to $79 |
| Excess storage/towing deductions | Approximately 1,000 | $200 ($25/day, max 8 days) |
Payments include prejudgment interest. They are offset by any amounts Star Casualty previously paid for the same fees or storage charges.
To receive any payment, an eligible claimant must submit a claim form by October 26.
Eligibility requirements are specific: you must have been insured under a Florida auto insurance policy issued by Star Casualty between March 22, 2018 and June 26, 2026, and your claim must have been adjusted as a total loss and settled on an ACV basis.
Why total loss claims are a hidden fee minefield
Here's something most policyholders don't know until it's too late: when an insurer declares your car a total loss and pays you the ACV, that settlement is supposed to account for all associated costs under your policy terms.
Transfer fees. Storage charges. Towing costs. These aren't small print afterthoughts; they're contractual obligations.
But the Kharevich case illustrates how those obligations can get quietly ignored or improperly deducted. When an insurer subtracts storage fees from the ACV payment rather than paying them on top of it, the policyholder loses real money. When title and tag transfer fees go unpaid, the financial burden of replacing a totaled vehicle increases unexpectedly.
The Save Max Quote Index, drawn from 3.3 million+ real quote requests, consistently shows that Florida policyholders carry some of the most expensive coverage profiles in the country. When drivers are already paying premium rates, settlement shortfalls tied to administrative fees hit especially hard.
Drivers in neighboring states face similar dynamics. Georgia policyholders navigating total loss claims and South Carolina drivers comparing insurer behavior should also scrutinize ACV settlement breakdowns carefully, as fee-stripping practices are not unique to Florida.
What this means for you
If you held a Star Casualty auto insurance policy in Florida between March 22, 2018 and June 26, 2026, and your vehicle was totaled and settled on an ACV basis, check whether you received full payment for title and tag transfer fees or had storage and towing costs improperly deducted. Submit your claim form before the October 26 deadline to remain eligible for compensation. Even if you are not part of this specific class, review any past total loss settlement paperwork line by line to verify that your insurer paid all fees your policy required, and compare your current coverage options using a tool grounded in real market data like the SMQI.
A landmark moment for storage fee litigation
"This is possibly the first class action settlement for storage fees." , Andrew P. Irvin, Irvin & Irvin PLLC
That quote, attributed to the plaintiff's attorney, is not a minor claim. If accurate, it means this settlement breaks new ground in consumer insurance litigation.
Attorney Irvin's assertion signals that storage fee deductions have historically flown under the legal radar, too small individually to attract attention but collectively significant across thousands of claims. The Kharevich settlement could make it harder for insurers to treat these deductions as routine accounting adjustments rather than potential policy breaches.
"Upon further investigation he determined that the behavior was widespread."
For insurers operating in high-volume states, the implication is clear: systematic underpayment of administrative and storage fees in total loss settlements may now carry class action exposure. That is a meaningful shift in the litigation landscape for consumer auto insurance rights.
FAQ
Who is eligible for the Star Casualty settlement?
You must have been insured under a Florida auto insurance policy issued by Star Casualty Insurance Company between March 22, 2018 and June 26, 2026. Your claim must have been adjusted as a total loss and settled on an ACV basis, and you must have either not received full title or tag transfer fees or had excess storage and towing charges deducted from your ACV payment.
What is the deadline to file a claim?
The deadline to submit a claim form is October 26. Missing this date means forfeiting your right to any settlement payment, even if you are otherwise eligible.
How much can I receive from the settlement?
Eligible claimants may receive up to $79 for unpaid title or tag transfer fees. Those affected by improper storage and towing deductions may receive up to $25 per day for a maximum of eight days, capped at $200 total. Payments include prejudgment interest and are reduced by any amounts already paid for the same charges.
Does this case mean my insurer owes me money too?
Not automatically. This settlement applies specifically to Star Casualty policyholders who meet the defined eligibility criteria. However, the case highlights a broader issue: total loss ACV settlements can contain improper deductions or unpaid fees across many insurers. Reviewing your own settlement documents carefully is always worthwhile.
Why do insurers deduct storage and towing fees from ACV payments?
Storage and towing charges accumulate while a totaled vehicle sits at a shop pending the insurer's decision. Some insurers treat these costs as offsets against the ACV payment rather than obligations to pay separately, which can reduce the net amount the policyholder receives. The Kharevich case argues that this practice violates the terms of the underlying insurance policy.
About Cassidy Richey
Cassidy Richey is a Content Writer at Save Max Auto with a research background in behavioral psychology. She focuses on the consumer side of insurance shopping, fraud and protection coverage, and Q&A guides. Read more from Cassidy Richey →
Edited by Kyle Greenwood.
Methodology
This article is grounded in the source linked above. Save Max Auto data points referenced here are drawn from the Save Max Quote Index (SMQI), a proprietary instrument reflecting 3,364,317 real consumer quote requests submitted to savemaxauto.com. State and carrier rankings reflect the lifetime dataset; year-over-year shifts reflect a rolling 12-month window. The index is refreshed monthly. External authority figures referenced (NAIC, NHTSA, state regulators) reflect the most recent public data releases available at time of writing.
Sources
- Primary source: Repairer Driven News, "Florida auto insurer agrees to settle class action by paying storage and transfer fees"