United Farmers Agents Ass'n, Inc. v. Farmers Grp., Inc.

*482 Plaintiff United Farmers Agents Association, Inc. (UFAA) is a trade association whose members are insurance agents. It brought this declaratory relief action against Farmers Insurance Exchange, Truck Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange, Mid-Century Insurance Company, and Farmers New World Life Insurance Company (the Companies) as well as Farmers Group, Inc. (FGI). After a bench trial, the court found UFAA lacked standing to pursue its claims and failed to demonstrate it was entitled to declaratory relief. The court entered judgment in favor of the defendants, and UFAA appealed. We affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

The Parties

The Companies are a group of insurers that mutually contract to sell insurance products through independent-contractor insurance agents. 1 FGI provides the Companies non-claim related administrative and management services. It is the attorney-in-fact of Farmers Insurance Exchange, and the parent company of the attorneys-in-fact of Fire Insurance Exchange and Truck Insurance Exchange.

UFAA is a nonprofit professional trade association whose members are insurance agents that sell the Companies' insurance products. It has approximately…