Can an insurer be found in breach of their implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from Planet Bingo, LLC v. Burlington Ins. Co., E066690 (Cal. App. 2018):

"'An insurer is said to act in "bad faith" when it not only breaches its policy contract but also breaches its implied covenant to deal fairly and in good faith with its insured. "A covenant of good faith and fair dealing is implied in every insurance contract. [Citations.] The implied promise requires each contracting party to refrain from doing anything to injure the right of the other to receive the agreement's benefits . . . ."' [Citation.] The covenant of good faith and fair dealing 'is implied as a supplement to the express contractual covenants, to prevent a contracting party from engaging in conduct that frustrates the other party's rights to the benefits of the

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agreement.' [Citation.]" (Behnke v. State Farm General Ins. Co. (2011) 196 Cal.App.4th 1443, 1469.)

"It is clear that if there is no potential for coverage . . . , there can be no action for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing because the covenant is based on the contractual relationship between the insured and the insurer. [Citation.] . . . [W]hen benefits are due an insured, 'delayed payment based on inadequate or tardy investigations, oppressive conduct by claims adjusters seeking to reduce the amounts legitimately payable and numerous other tactics may breach the implied covenant because' they frustrate the insured's right to receive the benefits of the contract in 'prompt compensation for losses.' [Citation.] Absent that contractual right, however, the implied covenant has nothing upon which to act as a supplement, and 'should not be endowed with an existence independent of its contractual underpinnings.' [Citation.]" (Waller v. Truck Ins. Exchange, Inc. (1995) 11 Cal.4th 1, 36.)

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