COURT REFUSES BLANKET MATERIALITY RULE FOR INSURANCE APPLICATION MISREPRESENTATIONS
The parties in this case moved for summary judgment as to whether the theft of Defendants' boat was covered under a maritime insurance policy. Plaintiff Great Lakes Reinsurance PLC asserted that because the defendant failed to disclose a prior theft of a boat on the insurance application, the insurance should be void ab initio under the doctrine of ubberimae fidei, which frequently has application in reinsurance matters. The insurance application specifically asked whether the prospective insured had suffered a “marine loss” in the prior ten years. This question was answered in the negative, despite the fact that the responding party had a boat stolen the prior year. The court found that there was no disputed issue of fact that this response was a misrepresentation, but that there was insufficient evidence to support summary judgment as to whether the question was material, which was required for avoidance. The court declined to follow Ninth Circuit precedent that every specific question on an application is material, holding that controlling Eleventh Circuit precedent required a factual demonstration of materiality. The detailed opinion is in a Magistrate Judge's Report and Recommendation, which were adopted by the district court judge. Great Lakes Reinsurance PLC v. Roca, Case No. 07-23322 (USDC S.D.Fl. Jan. 6, 2009).
This post written by John Black.
