AUGUST 2017 BAD FAITH CASES: COURT ADDRESSES NON-STATUORY PUNITIVE DAMAGE, SUPER-INTEREST AND ATTORNEY’S FEES CLAIMS; DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTRACTUAL DUTY OF GOOD FAITH AND BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY; NO STATUTORY RIGHT TO WITNESS FEES; AND ADEQUACY OF DAMAGE PLEADINGS (Philadelphia Federal)
This case provides an explanation of the distinct rights to relief under claims of breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, breach of fiduciary duty, and Pennsylvania’s Bad Faith Statute, 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 8371.
After a severe storm damaged the insured’s home, pool, and automobile, the insurer’s agent initially estimated the cost of repairs at $119,111.16 actual cash value and $131,185.96 replacement cost value. The insurer paid $119,111.16. No contractor agreed to make the repairs for that amount. One contractor gave the insured an estimate of $288,614.29 for the repairs. The insurer increased its loss estimate to $128,778.67 actual cash value and $141,166.41 replacement cost value.
The insured then sued for breach of contract (Count I), breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and breach of fiduciary duty (Count II), and statutory bad faith (Count III). The insurer moved to strike the punitive damage claims in Counts I and II. The Court agreed, explaining that “[t]he law in Pennsylvania has always been that punitive damages cannot be recovered for breach of contract.”
The insurer also moved to strike the insured’s claims in Count II, arguing that Pennsylvania law does not recognize these distinct causes of action where a breach of contract claims is already alleged. The Court dismissed the insured’s breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing claim with prejudice, as it recognized that such claims “are subsumed in a breach of contract claim.”
As to the breach of fiduciary duty claim, the Court held that while a fiduciary relationship does not exist as a matter of law between the insurer and the insured, an insured could plead such facts that give rise to such a relationship. Thus, the Court dismissed that claim without prejudice, giving the insured the ability to plead such facts.
The insurer also moved to strike references to attorneys’ fees in Counts I and II. The Court agreed, finding that “there can be no recovery of attorneys’ fees . . . absent an express statutory authorization . . . .” The motion to strike also requested the Court to strike the insured’s request to recover interest at the prime rate plus three-percent in Counts I and II. Noting that only Pennsylvania’s bad faith statute authorizes such a super-interest remedy, the Court struck these references.
Additionally, the insurer argued that the Court should strike references to the insured’s alleged damages in Counts I and II because the complaint failed to allege sufficient facts to show that the damages resulted from the alleged breach of contract. The Court disagreed, and found that “details about [the insured’s] damages undoubtedly relate to his claim for breach of contract and, if proven, will be material to damages calculations.” Thus, the insured’s references to his alleged damages were not immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous, and the Court declined to strike them.
Lastly, the insurer sought to dismiss the insured’s request for expert witness fees in Count III (the bad faith claim). Citing prior case law from the Pennsylvania Superior Court, the Court held that the plain language of Section 8371 precludes recovery of expert witness fees, and therefore struck the insured’s request for such fees.
