NEW JERSEY, April 3 – A New Jersey Federal Court has dismissed a bad faith claim filed by homeowners seeking coverage for property damage sustained in a fire loss on January 12, 2016. In Williams v. State Farm, U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriquez found that the homeowners’ bad faith allegations fell short of the factual support required under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The allegations were based around State Farm’s failure to pay the claim, but added little factual detail.
In granting State Farm’s motioin to dismiss, Judge Rodriguez wrote:
“While the lack of a reasonable basis may be inferred and imputed to an insurance company, there must be allegations of reckless indifference to facts or to proofs submitted by the insured… (quotations and citations omitted). Plaintiffs reference a ‘reckless disregard for the rights of the Plaintiffs’ but do so in conclusory fashion, thereby leaving the Court to infer reckless indifference from the fact that Defendant denied coverage; however, the Court declines to make such an inference. Plaintiffs do not provide sufficient factual allegations to suggest an absence of a reasonable basis on the part of Defendant for denying coverage. The mere allegation that Defendant’s denial of coverage inferentially establishes bad faith relies on the very speculation forbidden by Twombly and Iqbal. Accordingly, the Court dismisses Plaintiffs’ claim for bad faith without prejudice.
Having determined that Plaintiffs’ claim for breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing is insufficiently pled and therefore is dismissed, the Court need not address whether Plaintiffs are entitled to punitive damages under that claim.”
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