Two Wrongs Don’t Make It Right

On Behalf of | Sep 23, 2016 | Insurance Law

In an interesting case, the New York Appellate Court found that an insured could not sue the insurance broker for delaying in presenting a claim to the insurance company when the insured also delayed submission of the claim to the agent. In Rockland Exposition, Inc. v. Marshall & Sterling Enterprises, Inc., 138 A.D.3d 1085, 31 N.Y.S.3d 139 (N.Y.A.D. 2016), the New York Appellate Court held that the insured’s delay of 52 days in notifying the insurance broker of the lawsuit that needed to be submitted to the insurance company precluded the insured from bringing a suit against the broker for liability for the broker’s delay in providing notice to the insurer. The Court found that the insured’s delay in providing notice to the broker was the precipitating breach of the insurance policy’s requirement that the insured provide notice “as soon as practicable” and was the proximate cause of the insured’s loss of coverage. In this case, the Court, in essence, held that two wrongs did not make it right.

Steven Plitt is an accomplished author and expert witness, and has been a licensed attorney for 33 years. During his career, he has reviewed and analyzed more than 6,000 claim files from 100 different insurance companies. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, he serves as counselor and expert for insurance coverage and bad faith claims nationwide. For more information or to set up an appointment, please visit his website at insuranceexpertplitt.com. 

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