NO SEPARATE CLAIM FOR BREACH OF THE COVENANT OF GOOD FAITH AND FAIR DEALING IF IDENTICAL TO BREACH OF CONTRACT CLAIM (New Jersey Federal)
This New Jersey federal case involved allegations the insurer underpaid benefits without adequate explanation, and without considering payments required under state law. The case eventually turned into a class action for breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, declaratory judgment and injunctive relief, and violation of New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act (CFA).
The court found the allegations underlying the breach of contract and implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing claims to be identical. Under New Jersey law, without additional bad faith allegations and adequately distinguishing the bases of the two causes of action, there can be no separate action for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing outside the breach of contract claim. Thus, the implied covenant claim was dismissed.
The CFA claim likewise was dismissed because the damages sought resulted from nothing more than a breach of contract. The court agreed with the insurer that no damages resulted from the insureds relying upon any misrepresentations. Rather, damages only resulted from the insurer’s withholding money allegedly due under the policy, i.e., from a breach of contract. Thus, no damages resulted from the misconduct alleged to violate the CFA, and that claim was dismissed.
The Declaratory Judgment/Injunctive Relief count was dismissed on the basis that, as pleaded, these were forms of relief rather than causes of action.
Date of Decision: March 14, 2019
Lewis v. GEICO, U. S. District Court District of New Jersey No. 1:18-cv-05111-RBK-AMD, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41403 (D.N.J. Mar. 14, 2019) (Kugler, J.)
