{"settlement":{"id":"royal-canadian-legion-aviva-business-interruption-2026","slug":"royal-canadian-legion-aviva-business-interruption-2026","title":"Royal Canadian Legion Branches COVID-19 Business Income Insurance Class Action","category":"Insurance","status":"Claims open","tags":{"industry":["Insurance"],"geographic":["Ontario","Quebec","Alberta","Saskatchewan","Manitoba","New Brunswick","Newfoundland and Labrador","Nova Scotia","Prince Edward Island","Territories"],"recoveryType":["Cash payment"],"documentation":["Account records required","Other documentation"],"eligibilityTrigger":["Held an account or contract","Operated a business or merchant"]},"classDefinition":"Royal Canadian Legion branches and other veterans, service, and legacy organizations operating like Legion branches across Canada (except British Columbia) that were insured by Aviva under the PIB Provincial Command Insurance Program (Legion Program Policy) with Restricted Access and/or Negative Publicity coverage, and that submitted a claim to Aviva for loss of business income. The loss must have been caused by COVID-19 closure orders made in March or April 2020, by later orders of civil authority restricting access to their premises, and/or by a COVID-19 outbreak within 25 kilometres of their premises.","plainLanguageSummary":"If your Legion branch or similar veterans, service or legacy organization outside British Columbia was insured by Aviva under the Legion Program Policy with Restricted Access or Negative Publicity coverage, and claimed lost business income from Aviva because of COVID-19 closures or outbreaks, you may be eligible for a share of the $5,512,275.50 settlement, after fees and expenses are deducted.","eligibilityCriteria":["Your organization is a branch of The Royal Canadian Legion or another veterans, service, or legacy organization that operates like a Legion branch.","Your organization operates in Canada outside British Columbia.","Your organization was insured by Aviva under the PIB Provincial Command Insurance Program (Legion Program Policy).","Your policy included Restricted Access coverage and/or Negative Publicity coverage under the Business Income Actual Loss Sustained Form (912000-01).","Your organization submitted a claim to Aviva for loss of business income.","The loss was caused by COVID-19 closure orders in March or April 2020, by later government orders restricting access to your premises, and/or by a COVID-19 outbreak within 25 kilometres of your premises."],"recoveryRange":"Varies by branch, based on each branch’s documented loss of business income under the court-approved Distribution Protocol. The net fund is about $4.2 million after legal fees, disbursements and the representative plaintiff’s honorarium, before taxes and administration costs.","filingInstructions":"Gather your supporting documents, including your Annual Financial Statements, as the Claims Administrator will need them to verify your claim.\nOpen the online claim form at https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=_1ovYctXFEKfy9bkZl2JDPYbMfGc2BpFtUoSqnN6yuJUODJVQ1k4OTlMVkNVNFpMWDdFQU0xSFBFRC4u&route=shorturl \nFollow the step-by-step instructions in the form and attach the required documents.\nSubmit your claim no later than 11:59 pm EST on May 1, 2027.\nIf you need to file a paper claim instead, contact the Claims Administrator at legionclassaction@mdd.com or 519.432.1123 and they can arrange it.","caseBackground":"Royal Canadian Legion branches and similar veterans, service and legacy organizations were insured by Aviva Insurance Company of Canada under a commercial insurance program arranged for the Legion. When COVID-19 closure orders and outbreaks in 2020 interrupted their operations, many branches claimed for lost business income under their Restricted Access or Negative Publicity coverage. The class action alleged that Aviva breached its insurance contracts when it denied that coverage.\n\nAviva agreed to pay $5,512,275.50 to settle the case without admitting any wrongdoing. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice approved the settlement and a Distribution Protocol on October 26, 2026. After legal fees, an honorarium for the representative plaintiff, and administration costs are paid, the remaining money will be shared among eligible class members who file a claim by May 1, 2027.","administratorName":"MDD Forensic Accountants","administratorContacts":[{"type":"email","label":"","value":"legionclassaction@mdd.com"},{"type":"phone","label":"","value":"519-432-1123"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"519-432-1503"},{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"Matson Driscoll & Damico Ltd, 148 Fullarton Street, Suite 1704, London, Ontario N6A 5P3"}],"administratorRole":"claims","agentName":"","agentContacts":[],"agentClaimFormHelp":false,"classCounselName":"Lerners LLP","classCounselContacts":[{"type":"email","label":"","value":"royalcanadianlegionclassaction@lerners.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"","value":"519-640-6315"},{"type":"phone","label":"Toll-free","value":"1-844-847-1262"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"519-932-3315"},{"type":"online","label":"Case page","value":"https://lerners.ca/deals-and-cases/canadian-legion-class-action"}],"classCounselFirms":[{"name":"Lerners LLP","region":"","contacts":[{"type":"email","label":"","value":"royalcanadianlegionclassaction@lerners.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"","value":"519-640-6315"},{"type":"phone","label":"Toll-free","value":"1-844-847-1262"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"519-932-3315"},{"type":"online","label":"Case page","value":"https://lerners.ca/deals-and-cases/canadian-legion-class-action"}]}],"submissionMethods":[{"type":"online","label":"Online Claims Form","value":"https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=_1ovYctXFEKfy9bkZl2JDPYbMfGc2BpFtUoSqnN6yuJUODJVQ1k4OTlMVkNVNFpMWDdFQU0xSFBFRC4u&route=shorturl"}],"sourceDocuments":[{"url":"/uploads/f20ddd71e435f1daf6016306-notice-of-settlement-approval---en-fr.pdf","title":"Notice to Class Members"},{"url":"/uploads/dd8d075c3a1e96badf9b3f62-notice-of-settlement-approval---en-fr.pdf","title":"Avis aux membres du groupe"}],"shortFormNoticeUrl":"","longFormNoticeUrl":"/uploads/f20ddd71e435f1daf6016306-notice-of-settlement-approval---en-fr.pdf","settlementAgreementUrl":"","claimFormDocumentUrl":"","claimForms":[],"claimFormsButtonLabel":"claim-form","claimFormsUnavailable":true,"claimFormsUnavailableReason":"Claims are filed online through the Claims Administrator’s form. There is no downloadable claim form. A paper claim can be requested from MDD Forensic Accountants at legionclassaction@mdd.com or 519.432.1123.","claimFormGuides":[],"additionalDocuments":[],"optOutFormUrl":"","optOutInstructions":"","objectionFormUrl":"","objectionInstructions":"","faqs":[{"answer":"Your claim must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm EST on May 1, 2027. Claims filed after that date will not be eligible for compensation.","question":"What is the deadline to file a claim?"},{"answer":"The preferred way is to complete the Online Claims Form prepared by the Claims Administrator, which gives step-by-step instructions. If you need to file a paper claim, contact the Claims Administrator at legionclassaction@mdd.com or 519.432.1123 for details.","question":"How do I file a claim?"},{"answer":"The Claims Administrator will require supporting documentation to verify claims, including Annual Financial Statements. Start gathering these early so you have them ready before the May 1, 2027 deadline.","question":"What documents do I need?"},{"answer":"There is no set amount per branch. Each eligible branch’s payment depends on its documented loss of business income, under the Distribution Protocol approved by the Court. The money comes from the $5,512,275.50 settlement after court-approved legal fees, disbursements and taxes, a $15,000 honorarium for the representative plaintiff, and administration costs are paid.","question":"How much will my branch receive?"},{"answer":"Contact the Claims Administrator, MDD Forensic Accountants, at legionclassaction@mdd.com or 519.432.1123. You can also reach Class Counsel, Lerners LLP, at royalcanadianlegionclassaction@lerners.ca or toll-free at 1.844.847.1262.","question":"Who can I contact with questions?"},{"answer":"Your branch may qualify if it was insured by Aviva under the Legion Program Policy with Restricted Access or Negative Publicity coverage, operates outside British Columbia, and already submitted a claim to Aviva for lost business income caused by COVID-19 closure orders, later government orders, or a nearby outbreak. If you are unsure, contact the Claims Administrator.","question":"Does my branch qualify?"}],"eligibilityChecker":{"questions":[{"id":"legion-branch-or-similar","text":"Is your organization a branch of The Royal Canadian Legion or another veterans, service, or legacy organization that operates like a Legion branch?","type":"yes_no","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"outside-british-columbia","text":"Does your organization operate in Canada outside British Columbia?","type":"yes_no","helpText":"Organizations in British Columbia are not included in this settlement.","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"insured-legion-program-policy","text":"Was your organization insured by Aviva under the PIB Provincial Command Insurance Program (the Legion Program Policy)?","type":"yes_no","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"restricted-access-or-negative-publicity","text":"Did your policy include Restricted Access coverage or Negative Publicity coverage?","type":"yes_no","helpText":"These coverages are under the Business Income Actual Loss Sustained Form (912000-01).","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"submitted-claim-to-aviva","text":"Did your organization submit a claim to Aviva for loss of business income?","type":"yes_no","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"covid-related-loss","text":"Was the lost business income caused by COVID-19 closure orders in March or April 2020, later government orders restricting access to your premises, or a COVID-19 outbreak within 25 kilometres of your premises?","type":"yes_no","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true}],"uncertainMessage":"Some of your answers were Not sure, so we could not confidently determine your eligibility.","qualifyingMessage":"Based on your answers, you appear to fall within the class definition for this settlement.","nonQualifyingMessage":"Based on your answers, you do not appear to fall within the class definition for this settlement."},"claimCategories":[],"proceedings":null,"relatedSlugs":[],"group":null,"cardSummary":"For Legion branches and similar veterans, service or legacy groups outside BC that claimed COVID-19 lost business income from Aviva under the Legion insurance program.","proofRequired":"","claimTime":"","claimAmount":"","coverageStartDate":"","coverageEndDate":"","deadline":"2027-05-01","optOutDeadline":"","objectionDeadline":"","approvalHearingDate":"","approvalHearingDates":[],"approvalPending":false,"resolution":"settlement","judgmentAppealed":false,"seriousHarmEnabled":false,"quietPresentation":false,"formHelperEnabled":false,"dateAdded":"2026-11-05","lastUpdated":"2026-11-05","firstPublishedAt":"2026-11-06 00:41:43","claimsOpenedAt":"2026-11-06 00:41:43","lastVerifiedAt":"2026-11-05","languages":["en","fr"]}}