A couple days ago the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reached a settlement with Lighthouse Title in Michigan over Marketing Services Agreements (MSA). It included Lighthouse paying $200K fine, ending all MSA’s, and tracking any exchange of “things of value” worth more than $5 keeping a five years history. Possibly explosive, links to more detail in this short article.

Lighthouse is a provider of a full range of insurance products, licensed in all aspects of insurance coverage from auto and home to title and business. They put out a release explaining their side of the story. They are left in a market of MSA’s without the ability to create one. 

Morrison Foerster, a global law group issued a Client Alert that discusses the case.  There is also a detailed view of the ruling at JDSUPRA Business Advisor. In 17 pages of CFPB issues the Consent Order, under sections 1053 and 1055 of the CFPA of 2010.  Finally I found the Florida Realtors had a decent write up. Are MSA’s legal, it doesn’t look like they know.