Allstate accuses Broadcom of auditing it because it quit VMware, CA

Ars Technica News

Summary

Allstate accuses Broadcom of launching retaliatory audits after it terminated its VMware and CA contracts, highlighting ongoing legal battles between Broadcom and disgruntled enterprise customers.

<p>Allstate Insurance Company has accused Broadcom of haphazardly issuing audits against it because the insurance firm decided not to renew its contracts with VMware and CA Technologies.</p> <p>The allegations were made in relation to a lawsuit that VMware filed against Allstate in December 2025, according to <a href="https://www.theregister.com/virtualization/2026/07/08/allstate-insurance-quits-broadcom-alleges-vengeful-license-audit-on-the-way-out/5268155">The Register</a>. In the complaint, Broadcom alleges that Allstate failed to comply with license audits, which Broadcom claims its contract with Allstate requires.</p> <p>In a June 12 filing, Allstate suggested that Broadcom issued the audits in response to Allstate deciding to end business with its companies. Allstate's statement reads:</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/07/allstate-accuses-broadcom-of-auditing-it-because-it-quit-vmware-ca/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/07/allstate-accuses-broadcom-of-auditing-it-because-it-quit-vmware-ca/#comments">Comments</a></p>
Original Article
View Cached Full Text

Cached at: 07/09/26, 10:40 PM

# Allstate accuses Broadcom of auditing it because it quit VMware, CA Source: [https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/07/allstate-accuses-broadcom-of-auditing-it-because-it-quit-vmware-ca/](https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/07/allstate-accuses-broadcom-of-auditing-it-because-it-quit-vmware-ca/) The complaint reads: > On September 12, 2025, Allstate informed VMware’s consultant that it had “removed VMware from all devices,” and therefore Allstate was no longer able to “execute the Scripts provided by Broadcom as the scripts are dependent on having VMWare components running in the environment\.” Allstate reportedly followed up in October to tell VMware that “all VMware instances have been terminated and removed from Allstate’s VMware ELA environment” and that its audit obligations were fulfilled, per VMware’s complaint\. Allstate’s story differs\. In the June filing, Allstate claimed that after it decided not to renew its VMware and CA contracts, Broadcom “simultaneously and unreasonably initiated four separate audits of Allstate’s use of its licensed CA and VMware software\.” “With respect to VMware, Allstate substantially and in good faith complied with the audit and reporting requirements set forth in its contracts with VMware, and Plaintiff’s claims to the contrary are unfounded,” the statement reads\. Broadcom has a separate case against Allstate under CA Technologies[\(PDF\)](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/amended-complaint.pdf)\. In the lawsuit filed in May 2025, CA accuses Allstate of copyright infringement and breach of contract by selling Allstate’s Employer Voluntary Benefits business and the Symantec products that the business used to Oregon\-based insurance company StanCorp Financial Group\. CA alleges that Allstate initially “sent a letter to Symantec \(a company no longer in existence\)” about the decision, but “did not send a similar notice letter addressed to CA\.” In both cases, the parties have until May 17, 2027, to file dispositive motions seeking to resolve each case without a trial\. The cases demonstrate Broadcom’s litigious side and a willingness to battle disgruntled VMware customers\. Allstate hasn’t said how reliant it was on VMware or what virtualization tech it uses now\. But it’s notable that the insurance firm has joined a growing list of known, enterprise\-size firms that have decided to move away from VMware and dispute its owner’s business practices in court\.

Similar Articles

Apple sues OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft

TechCrunch AI

Apple has sued OpenAI, alleging trade secret theft and breach of contract, particularly related to hardware development and recruiting practices. The lawsuit accuses former Apple executive Tang Tan and others of taking confidential information to help OpenAI build a competing hardware product.

California says AT&T lied to FCC in attempt to shut off old phone network

Ars Technica

California regulators accuse AT&T of lying to the FCC in an attempt to shut down its copper phone network without providing adequate replacement, particularly challenging AT&T's claim that state rules prevent fiber upgrades and that wireless service is a sufficient substitute.