A federal district court has awarded Munich Re $5.6 million in damages in its breach of contract action against American National Insurance Company for ANICO’s nonpayment of certain claims the court previously determined were covered by the parties’ retrocession agreements. In previous opinions, reported here on March 10 and May 29, 2014, the court concluded that ANICO breached its payment obligations to Munich Re for claims properly and timely ceded to ANICO under those agreements. In awarding damages, the court determined that Munich Re was entitled to a sum certain based on all claims previously identified and billed by Munich Re at the time of trial, along with the appropriate amount of prejudgment interest. The court also determined that ANICO was entitled to (1) offset some damages claimed by Munich Re by the amount of outstanding premium ANICO was owed and (2) “particulars and estimates” under the reporting obligations of the retrocession agreements which obligate Munich Re, when reporting claims, to provide information sufficient for ANICO to determine that the claims fall within the scope of its obligations. The court denied ANICO’s request that the court to take judicial notice of certain alleged admissions Munich Re made in prior litigation. Munich Reinsurance America, Inc. v. American National Insurance Co., Case No. 09-6435 (USDC D.N.J. May 27, 2014).
This post written by Renee Schimkat.