Investors who bought stock traceable to two AmTrust public offerings have until October 7, 2026, to submit a proof of claim for a proposed $19 million securities settlement. The filing window remains open, but neither receipt of a notice nor ownership of AmTrust shares by itself guarantees a payment.
Only two offerings define the settlement classes
The court-authorized settlement FAQ describes one subclass for common stock issued in or traceable to AmTrust’s November 11, 2015 public offering and another for 6.95% non-cumulative Series F preferred stock issued in or traceable to the September 27, 2016 offering. Investors also must have been damaged under the settlement’s allocation rules.
The offerings raised about $320 million for common shares and $287.5 million for preferred shares. Those offering sizes are not the settlement value. The pool available under the proposed resolution is $19 million before court-approved fees, expenses and administration costs.
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The administrator’s settlement overview and the court-authorized long-form notice provide the controlling detail.
The October 7 date is for payment claims
A proof of claim must be submitted online or mailed so that it is received or postmarked by October 7. Email is not accepted. The administrator asks for transaction details and supporting documents because recognized losses depend on the number of shares, purchase and sale dates and prices.
Exclusion follows a different schedule. Requests to opt out are due October 28, while the settlement hearing is set for November 19. An investor who excludes himself or herself cannot receive money from the fund but may preserve the ability to pursue separate litigation. A person who remains in the class is bound by the final result.
Payments will vary by transaction history
The net fund will be distributed under a plan of allocation after approved costs. Each claimant’s share depends on the recognized claim compared with all valid recognized claims. The administrator warns that the amount cannot be known before claims are processed.
That means $19 million should not be divided by the number of notices mailed. Some recipients may not qualify, some investors may hold many more eligible shares than others and some claims may lack documentation. Distribution also waits for final approval and resolution of any appeal.
No court has found the defendants liable
The litigation challenged statements connected with the offerings, but the court has not decided for either side. The settling defendants deny the allegations of wrongdoing, liability and damages. Plaintiffs accepted the settlement to avoid the cost and risk of continued proceedings and to create a defined recovery opportunity.
Those denials are not fine print that erases the settlement. They explain its legal status. The $19 million agreement and filing deadline are concrete; the underlying allegations were not adjudicated at trial. Describing the deal as proposed preserves that distinction.
Broker records are likely to control eligibility
Because the class is tied to securities traceable to specific offerings, ordinary statements showing only a current AmTrust position may be insufficient. Purchase confirmations, monthly statements and sale records can establish dates, share counts and prices. The plan determines whether those transactions produce a recognized loss.
Nominee holders may have sent notices to beneficial owners, but the claimant remains responsible for a complete filing. The current official site confirms the October 7 deadline and says a postcard does not mean the recipient will receive payment.
The title’s two claims remain current
As of September 14, the claim portal and instructions remain available, placing the deadline in the future. The fund is still described as $19 million, and the settlement remains subject to the November hearing. Nothing on the administrator’s page indicates that the claim window has closed or the amount has changed.
The controlling record therefore supports both elements of the headline: qualifying AmTrust investors can seek a share, and October 7 is the filing cutoff. It does not support a guaranteed payment or a fixed amount for any one investor.
Common and preferred shares are not interchangeable
The common-stock subclass and Series F preferred subclass arise from different offerings with different securities. A statement showing “AmTrust” without the security description may not provide enough detail. Claim review needs to distinguish the common shares from the 6.95% non-cumulative preferred stock and connect each purchase to the relevant offering.
Traceability can be especially important when shares continue trading after an offering. The settlement notice and allocation plan, not the company name alone, decide which transactions qualify. That is another reason the administrator requests dates, prices and quantities rather than accepting a current position screenshot.
Remaining in the settlement generally releases covered claims if the deal becomes final. Exclusion is the route for a class member who wishes to avoid that release, but it also eliminates payment eligibility here. The later October 28 exclusion deadline should not be mistaken for extra time to file a payment claim; October 7 still controls that form.
Other Claims With Their Own Forms
This securities settlement depends on a timely proof of claim. Unclaimed-property searches and senior property-tax credits also sit outside automatic enrollment, although their eligibility rules and administrators are unrelated to AmTrust.
The Benefits Checklist contains 69 pages on 11 programs, with 2026 income limits and a 50-state phone directory; an open-settlements page comes with the download.
Open the program list and companion claim page in The Benefits Checklist.
This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor. Figures are linked to their primary sources; where a claim could not be verified from the public record, we say so.
