Bad Faith Blog

Jack and Carolyn Brockway filed suit against Allstate after it denied coverage for losses plaintiffs suffered after a theft at their home. The plaintiffs filed claims immediately following the theft which Allstate denied more than two years later. The plaintiffs sought damages for breach of contract and for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. In response, Allstate moved for summary judgment, arguing that a two year suit limitation provision contained in the insurance contract barred the plaintiffs’ action. The trial court granted the motion for summary judgment which was affirmed on appeal.

Summary: A Wisconsin high school discharged an employee who then sued. The school district’s insurer defended the case through an adverse summary judgment, but refused to indemnify the school district for an adverse judgment even though it had never sent a reservation of rights letter. The majority ruled that the doctrines of waiver or estoppel were insufficient “to defeat… a coverage clause in an insurance contract that would otherwise justify the insurer’s denial of coverage.” The Maxwell case is primarily a coverage opinion which declares how and when the estoppel and waiver doctrines apply in state courts in Wisconsin. Because of its brief discussion of Wisconsin bad faith law it merits attention in our blog.

Summary: Whether the insured, a mother of a 17 year old boy, intentionally failed to tell her umbrella insurer that her son was now a driver, or the insured failed to sign the application, there was no coverage under the personal umbrella policy and no reason to assess “bad faith” penalties.