Blog Archives

California Court Holds an Adjuster May Be Personally Liable for Misrepresentations Made to the Insured

Earlier this month, an intermediate level California court rejected arguments that an insurance company’s adjuster owes no independent duty to the policyholders and cannot be liable even for “appalling” misconduct if he is acting within the course and scope of his employment. According to the panel, the adjuster occupies the same “special relationship” with the insured as the insurance carrier does, and he can, therefore, be independently liable for the tort of negligent misrepresentation during the adjustment. In Bock v. Hansen, — Cal.Rptr.3d —, 2014 WL 1315314 (Cal. App. 1st Dist. Apr. 2, 2014), Michael and Lorie Bock submitted a claim to their insurerafter a 41-foot, 7,300 pound tree limb crashed onto their home. The insurer assigned an adjuster, Craig Hansen,

Tagged with: , ,
Posted in Investigation, Loss Adjustment
About The Property Insurance Law Observer
For more than four decades, Cozen O’Connor has represented all types of property insurers in jurisdictions throughout the United States, and it is dedicated to keeping its clients abreast of developments that impact the insurance industry. The Property Insurance Law Observer will survey court decisions, enacted or proposed legislation, and regulatory activities from all 50 states. We will also include commentary on current issues and developing trends of interest to first-party insurers.
Subscribe For Updates

propertyinsurancelawobserver

Topics
Cozen O’Connor Blogs