NOVEMBER 2016 BAD FAITH CASES: NO BAD FAITH WHERE HIGHER UM/UIM LIMITS ALLEGEDLY NOT EXPRESSLY OFFERED AT THE TIME LIABILITY LIMITS WERE INCREASED (Third Circuit, New Jersey)

The insured alleged a breached the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in this UM/UIM context. There were 4 putative bases pleaded, all of which the Third Circuit rejected in affirming dismissal of this claim: failure to offer the insureds the option of higher available UM/UIM coverage limits when the insureds increased their coverage limits (ii) using unlicensed agents to sell insurance with the increased coverage limits, and so using agents unaware of their obligation to so advise insureds of higher UM/UIM limits (iii) failing to provide CSFs and Buyer’s guides after insureds purchased increased liability limits, and (iv) denying the UM/UIM claims based on the reduced limits.

The insured had to show that the insurer either “act[ed] in bad faith or engage[d] in some other form of inequitable conduct in the performance of a contractual obligation.” The covenant of good faith and fair requires that “neither party shall do anything which will have the effect of destroying or injuring the right of the other party to receive the fruits of the contract.” The covenant is “an independent duty and may be breached even where there is no breach of the contract’s express terms”.

The insured failed to allege with sufficient particularity how the insurer “fail[ed] to act in good faith by offering UM/UIM coverage limits up to the increased BIL coverage limits.” The insured also failed to sufficiently allege how insurer engaged in “inequitable conduct in the performance of [their] contractual obligation” to her. Thus, the dismissal was affirmed.

Date of Decision: October 31, 2016

Ensey v. GEICO, No. 15-1933, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 19562 (3d Cir. Oct. 31, 2016) (Ambro, McKee, Scirica, JJ.)