Federal Court in Georgia Applies
Hoover Rule Finding that Insurers Who Sent Denial Letters Waived Right to Assert Other Coverage Defenses Later.
Eight years ago in
Hoover v. Maxum Indemnity Co., 730 S.E.2d 413 (Ga. 2012), Georgia’s Supreme Court cautioned insurers against the common practice of denying coverage on one ground at the outset of a claim’s investigation, and later amending or supplementing that coverage denial to assert new coverage defenses if the initial reasons for denying coverage fail. Under
Hoover, when an insurer responds to a Georgia policyholder’s claim notification, it has three options: (1) confirm coverage for the claim; (2) defend the claim under a reservation of rights to deny coverage later after a claim investigation; or (3) deny the claim outright.