$5.5 Million Settlement Agreement Between Nationwide Insurance And 32 States

Last week, 32 states inked a settlement agreement with Nationwide Mutual Insurance for the insurance company's data breach in 2012. The Attorney General's Office for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts participated in the agreement, and explained in an announcement: that the data breach reach in 2012 was:

"... allegedly caused by Nationwide’s failure to apply a critical software security patch. The breach resulted in the loss of personal information belonging to 1.27 million consumers, with nearly 950 in Massachusetts, including their social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, credit scoring information, and other personal data. The lost personal information was collected by Nationwide in order to provide insurance quotes to consumers applying for insurance. AG Healey’s Office is not aware of any fraud or identity theft involving Massachusetts residents related to this data breach."

Other states participating in the settlement agreement include the Attorneys General of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Terms of the settlement agreement require Nationwide to:

"... both generally update its security practices and to ensure that it keeps software up-to-date, including timely applying patches and other updates to its software. Nationwide must also hire a technology officer responsible for monitoring and managing software and application security updates, including supervising employees responsible for evaluating and coordinating the maintenance, management, and application of all security patches and software and application security updates.

Many of the consumers whose data was lost as a result of the data breach were consumers who never became Nationwide’s insureds, but whose information was retained by the company in order to provide the consumers re-quotes at a later date. The settlement requires Nationwide to be more transparent about its data collection practices by requiring it to disclose to consumers that it retains their personal information even if they do not become its customers."

950 Massachusetts residents were affected. Massachusetts' share of the payment is $100,000. Massachusetts Attorney General (AG) Maura Healey said in a statement:

"People shopping for financial products should be assured that companies collecting their personal information will protect it no matter what... Nationwide knew their software was vulnerable to hacking but did not promptly address it, leaving sensitive data vulnerable to identity thieves. This settlement holds the company accountable for subjecting our residents to this avoidable risk."

2,810 New York residents were affected. New York State's share of the payment is $107,736. New York State AG Eric T. Schneiderman said:

"Nationwide demonstrated true carelessness while collecting and retaining information from prospective customers, needlessly exposing their personal data in the process... This settlement should serve as a reminder that companies have a responsibility to protect consumers’ personal information regardless of whether or not those consumers become customers..."

774 Connecticut residents were affected. Connecticut's share of the payment is $256,559. Connecticut AG George Jepsen said:

"Connecticut law requires that anyone in possession of another person's personal information safeguard that data... It is critically important that companies take seriously the maintenance of their computer software systems and their data security protocols..."