Blog Archives

Pennsylvania District Court Holds Materiality Does Not Require Fraud

A District Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania recently held that an insured’s submission of invoices altered to inflate replacement costs for water-damaged inventory constituted material misrepresentations. The court granted the insurer’s motion for summary judgment on its claims for declaratory judgment and violation of the Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Act; however, the court held that the altered invoices fell short of satisfying the elements of common law fraud.  About The Authors

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Bad Faith

Failure of Insured to Provide Requested Documents Triggers Appraisal Under First Party Insurance Policy

Those familiar with first party insurance policies have undoubtedly encountered a recurring issue with the interpretation of appraisal provisions – what does it mean to disagree on the amount of loss?  In Valvano Realty Co. v. American Fire and Casualty Co., the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania recently held that a disagreement on the amount of loss encompasses situations where an insurer claims it needs additional documentation before it can determine whether a disagreement exists.  Valvano involved a December 18, 2015 fire at the Plaintiff’s property in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, which was insured by American.  American’s adjuster, working with a retained construction consultant and structural engineer, determined the replacement cost value of the loss to

Tagged with: , , , , ,
Posted in Actual Cash Value, Arbitration and Appraisal

Free Ride on RCV? Not So Fast!

Most property insurance policies condition the payment of replacement cost value (RCV) on the property first being replaced or repaired, and courts typically enforce that requirement.  Replacement cost is not owed until the insured completes repair or replacement.  Yet what property adjuster has never encountered an insured who attempts to claim reimbursement for items not damaged in the loss on the theory that such items are within the RCV estimate and are a part of the property’s “restoration”? A recent Washington Court of Appeals decision illustrates.  In Mount Zion Lutheran Church v. Church Mutual Ins. Co., 2019 WL 2177893 Wash. App. (filed March 18, 2019; ordered published May 14, 2019), a fire damaged the interior of a church sanctuary.  Church

Tagged with: , , ,
Posted in Direct Physical Loss or Damage, Uncategorized
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