FEBRUARY 2017 BAD FAITH CASES: COURT WOULD NOT REMAND DECLARATORY JUDGMENT ACTION WHERE JOINED WITH BAD FAITH CLAIM; BAD FAITH CLAIM ADEQUATELY PLEADED TO SURVIVE MOTION TO DISMISS (Western District)

The district court refused to remand a declaratory judgment coverage action, principally because there was also a bad faith claim in the case. The court did look at some of the other Reifer factors before rendering its conclusion.

Having maintained jurisdiction, the court refused to dismiss the bad faith claim at the pleading stage. The insured had pleaded that a disclaimer letter prospectively denying a duty to defend was sent five months before any suit was filed. Further, this letter lacked an explanation of the carrier’s reasoning, and a later letter had the same failings in explaining the carrier’s position. The insured also alleged that the insurer failed to respond to the insured’s correspondence in another instance, and the insurer only conducted a cursory investigation into the claim. The insured further alleged that the insurer failed to provide a defense after the insured provided additional information and trial was approaching.

The court noted that the duty to defend is broader than the duty to indemnify, and it was not comfortable deciding the merits of potential coverage issues on a motion to dismiss, on the facts as pleaded. Rather, the court was persuaded that discovery was appropriate and the record should be further developed. The insurer could raise its defense later in the case, via summary judgment.

Date of Decision: January 30, 2017

Chester v. Utica First Ins. Co., No. 16-1671, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12096 (W.D. Pa. Jan. 30, 2017) (Barry Fischer, J.)