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119-hr-3008119th CongressWALLET

Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Kustoff, David [R-TN-8]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a new federal private right of action letting heirs and other beneficiaries enforce or recover proceeds from Holocaust-era insurance policies. It also preserves state disclosure laws and limits executive foreign policy from blocking those claims.

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  • Families and heirs would be able to sue insurers or related companies in federal court to recover policy proceeds or enforce rights for policies issued between 1933 and 1945. Nationwide service of process is allowed.
  • Insurers and related companies would face remedies that include the policy proceeds, prejudgment interest at 6% per year compounded annually, treble damages for bad faith, and reasonable attorney’s fees to prevailing beneficiaries.
  • The bill would protect state disclosure laws, let claimants choose forum state law or federal common law as the rule of decision, foreclose defenses based on prior judgments entered under preemption conclusions, and provide a uniform 10-year window to file claims from enactment.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Recover Holocaust-era insurance in federal court

If enacted, beneficiaries of certain Holocaust-era insurance policies would be able to sue insurers in federal court. Covered policies include life, annuity, dowry, education, property, and other policies in effect from January 31, 1933 to December 31, 1945, issued to people domiciled in Nazi‑controlled areas or Switzerland. You could choose to have the court apply the forum state’s law or federal common law. Courts would award the proceeds due plus 6% yearly interest, compounded, from when payment was due. If the insurer acted in bad faith, damages would be tripled. Courts could also order the insurer to pay your reasonable lawyer fees and costs. You could serve the insurer anywhere in the U.S. where it is found, resides, has an agent, or does business.

Ten-year window to file Holocaust insurance claims

If enacted, you would have 10 years from the law’s enactment to file a claim about a covered policy. Claims filed within that window would not be blocked by older time limits or laches. Past court judgments or releases made before this law would generally not stop a new claim. Deals made with the International Commission or an insurer would still count, unless the payment was labeled “humanitarian.” State laws on these claims and insurer disclosures would stand, and U.S. executive agreements or policies would not preempt them or block claims.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Kustoff, David [R-TN-8]

TN • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 4/24/2025

  • Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 10/3/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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