The trial court’s dismissal of the insured’s loss of business income claim due to COVID-19 based upon a traditional pollution exclusions was reversed and remanded as to most of the insurers. JRK Prop. Holdings v. Colony Ins. Co., 2023 Cal. App. LEXIS 760 (Cal. Ct. App. Oct. 2, 2023).
JRK was
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Insured’s COVID-19 Claim Survives Motion to Dismiss under Accidental Contamination Coverage
By Tred Eyerly
The insured’s COVID-19 claim was dismissed under one policy, but survived a motion to dismiss under a second Restaurant Recovery Policy. Menchies Group, inc. v. Mass Bay Ins Co., 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 153933 (S.D. N.Y. Aug. 31, 2023).
Menchies owned and operated frozen yogurt shops throughout the United States. Beginning…
COVID-19 Claim with Communicable Disease Extension Survives Demurrer
By Tred Eyerly
The California Court of Appeal reversed the trial court’s issuance of a demurrer to allow the COVID-19 claim to go forward. Saddle Ranch Sunset v. Fireman’s Fund Ins. Co., 2023 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 3599 (Cal. Ct. App. June 22, 2023).
Saddle Ranch owned restaurants in California and Arizona. Saddle Ranch…
Insured Survives Agent’s Motion to Dismiss Complaint Alleging Failure to Provide Coverage for COVID-19
By Tred Eyerly
The agent’s motion to dismiss the insured’s suit for failure to provide adequate coverage for business interruption due to catastrophic events was denied. Social Life Magazine, Inc. v. Hudson Valley Agency Alliance, LLC, 2023 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2351 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. May 10, 2023).
Plaintiff had used defendants Hudson Valley and…
Motion to Dismiss COVID-19 Claim Denied
By Tred Eyerly
Finding that a contamiation exclusion was ambiguous, the Court denied the insurer’s Motion to Dismiss the insured’s COVID-19 claim. C.J. Segerstrom and Sons v. Lexington Ins. Co., 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33293 (C.D. Cal. Feb. 27, 2023).
Segerstrom owned and operated a shopping mall. It was forced to close the mall…
Filed-Rate Doctrine Does Not Prevent Challenge to Insurers’ Auto Rates During COVID-19 Pandemic
By Tred Eyerly
The federal district court considered a challenge to GEICO’s premium rates as unconscionably excessive in light of a reduction in the insurance risk pool due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thomas v. GEICO Cas. Co., 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19332 (N. D. Ill. Feb. 6, 2023).
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was…
Ninth Circuit Certifies Virus Exclusion Issue to California Supreme Court
By Tred Eyerly
The Ninth Circuit asked the California Supreme Court to address whether the policy’s virus exclusion was enforceable to preclude coverage for business income losses due to the present of COVID-19 at the insured’s properties. French Laundry Partners LP v. Hartford Fire Ins. Co., 2023 U.S. App. LEXIS 2845 (9th Cir. Feb. 6, 2023). …
California Court of Appeals Reverses Denial of COVID-19 Claim Based on Virus-Specific Endorsement
By Tred Eyerly
The California Court of Appeal reversed the trial court’s grant of the insurer’s demurrer on a COVID-19 claim and remanded the case for further proceedings. John’s Grill v. Hartford Fin. Servs. Group, 2022 Cal. App. LEXIS 1056 (Cal. Ct. App. Dec. 27, 2022).
John’s Grill had two insurers, Hartford and Sentinel.…
Ninth Circuit Certifies Question to California Supreme Court on COVID-19 Claim
By Tred Eyerly
The Ninth Circuit certified a question to the California Supreme Court asking whether the presence of COVID-19 constitutes “direct physical loss to property.'” Another Planet Entertainment, LLC v. Vigilant Ins. Co., 2022 U.S. App. LEXIS 35763 (9th Cir. Dec. 28, 2022).
Another Planet was an event promoter and venue operator that…
Court Orders Limited Discovery Before Ruling on Insurers’ Motions to Dismiss COVID-19 Claims
By Tred Eyerly
Conceding it was an unusual step, the federal district court ordered that limited discovery take place before ruling on the insurers’ motions to dismiss the insureds’ business interruption claims due to COVID-19. Philadelphia Eagles Limited Partnership v. Factory Mut. Ins. Co., 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 225729 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 15, 2022).
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