Bad Faith Blog

Summary: A driver lost control of his truck and crashed into a cabin causing property damage, including a heating fuel spill, and personal injuries to the cabin’s owner. The cabin’s owner brought suit against the driver and his insurer alleging in part that the insurer took charge of and negligently handled the fuel spill cleanup. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the insurer finding it owed no duty to the cabin’s owner. On appeal, the Alaska Supreme Court found a duty by the insurer was not precluded, and summary judgment was not appropriate.

Summary: A homeowner’s insurer brought an action against the insured for declaratory judgment that liability coverage was barred by an exclusion for bodily injury resulting from use of a “jet ski.” The insured counterclaimed alleging bad faith. The trial court found for the insurer on the bad faith claim after a first appeal found coverage was owed. The court held on the appeal of the bad faith ruling that the meaning of “jet ski” was ambiguous and fairly debatable, barring the bad faith action.