(USA Herald) — This is the case of Shusha Inc. v. Century-National Insurance Co., in the Court of Appeal of the State of California, Second Appellate District.
A recent decision by a California state appellate panel has given hope to policyholders seeking insurance coverage for their COVID-19-related losses. The panel has agreed to publish a December pro-policyholder decision, making it citable as authority for parties litigating similar cases in the Golden State. The move comes after consumer protection nonprofit United Policyholders and Endeavor Operating Co. LLC argued that keeping it unpublished would allow insurers to interpret California’s insurance law in their favor incorrectly.
The December decision was a rare ruling in favor of policyholders, who have faced an uphill battle in courts since the global pandemic forced businesses to close in March 2020. The panel’s decision revives a Los Angeles Italian restaurant’s COVID-19 coverage case against Century-National Insurance Co.
United Policyholders argued that the panel’s “well-reasoned” ruling in favor of the restaurant, Shusha Inc., should be published so that it can assist lower courts in resolving important disputed issues in California insurance law regarding the scope of the appellate court’s July holding in Marina Pacific Hotel and Suites LLC v. Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co.
