The Second Circuit recently addressed the issue doctrine of uberrimae fidea. St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance brought suit against Matrix Posh, LLC, its insured under a policy of marine insurance, seeking to have the policy declared void ab initio due to Matrix’s alleged misrepresentations about pre-existing damage to the insured vessel. The trial court granted summary judgment and the Second Circuit affirmed. The Second Circuit held that the determination of whether the misrepresentations were material hinged not on the extent of the damage to the vessel (Matrix claimed after the fact that the damage was minor), but on whether the misrepresentation that there was no damage, precluded St. Paul from the opportunity to investigate the risk itself, prior to acceptance. This violated Matrix’s duty of utmost good faith and the policy was therefore void. St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Co. v. Matrix Posh, LLC, No. 12-2045-CV (2d Cir. Jan. 16 2013).
This post written by John Pitblado.