NO BAD FAITH WHERE (1) REASONABLE AND TIMELY INVESTIGATION AND (2) INSURED FAILED TO MEET CONTRACTUAL BURDEN TO SHOW CONNECTION BETWEEN CLAIM AND PROPERTY DAMAGE (Philadelphia Federal)

In this homeowner’s case, the insured attempted to tie a fallen tree to water pipe damage. The court laid out a detailed history of the insurer’s responses to the insured’s claims and communications, demonstrating the insurer’s active role in investigating the claim. The court also detailed the carriers’ review of documents and information from the insured’s contractors. The court found the insured’s communications and investigation timely and reasonable.

Further, the insured was contractually obligated to show property damage resulting from a covered event, but failed to do so, e.g., there were no photographs of the fallen tree, nor sufficient evidence of how the tree could have damaged concrete encased pipes. Under the circumstances, the insured “had to retain a contractor to provide a report making the connection.”

Moreover, the insured’s “plumbing and heating contractors both testified the fallen tree did not cause the pipe damage, rather, the pipes needed to be replaced because of their age.” On these facts, the carrier could not be expected to “make payments on claims devoid of some evidence linking damage to an event.”

In light of the delineated efforts by the insurer to investigate the claim, and the insured’s failure to produce evidence of the necessary connection between the fallen tree and the pipe damage, the court granted summary judgment on the bad faith claim.

Date of Decision: March 29, 2019

Mitchell v. Allstate Insurance Co., U. S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania CIVIL ACTION NO. 17-1806, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55613, 2019 WL 1440043 (E.D. Pa. Mar. 29, 2019) (Kearney, J.)