Daily Archive for August 23rd, 2018

The insured sued based on a denial of benefits for a vandalism loss. During the course of pre-suit examinations under oath, the insurer concluded that the policy was obtained by fraud. Thus, in addition to denying the claim, the insurer counterclaimed for common law fraud, breach of contract, statutory insurance fraud and reverse bad faith, based on a false insurance application. The jury ruled for the insurer and voided the policy.

The court awarded damages of over $285,000 to the insurer for claims paid and claim expenses incurred under the now voided policy, subject to a reduction for the return of premiums paid. Post-trial motions were denied, and the verdict was affirmed on appeal.

In upholding the verdict, the Superior Court recognized that fraud required the highest standard of proof known in a civil setting. The jury did not err, however, in finding the standard met. The appellate court found “the record is replete with evidence that [the insured], through an agent, knowingly provided … false, misleading and incomplete information in his insurance application statement.”

The court stated the insured had misrepresented his loss history, failed to disclose a foreclosure complaint, failed to disclose tax judgments against him and failed to reveal “he incurred a federal conviction in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for filing false corporate tax returns.”

The court also rejected arguments concerning the trial court’s evidentiary rulings. There was no error in allowing evidence relating to a prior conviction for underpaying corporate taxes, and previous tax liens. Nor was there error in allowing testimony from an underwriter to describe underwriting practices during the relevant time period.

Date of Decision: August 15, 2018

Smith v. United States Liability Insurance Company, Superior Court of Pennsylvania, No. 1287 EDA 2017, 2018 Pa. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 2968 (Pa. Super. Ct. Aug. 15, 2018) (Lazarus, Panella, Strassburger, JJ.) (Not precendential)