Bad Faith in Arkansas Requires Proof of Dishonest, Malicious, or Oppressive Conduct Including Hatred, Ill Will, a Spirit of Revenge
Barry Zalma
Jul 14, 2023
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Owners Insurance Company moved for summary judgment as to a claim of bad faith. Separately, Owners argued the Court should make a finding that there no evidence to support a punitive damages instruction.
In RMS Warehouse 1315, LLC v. Owners Insurance Company, No. 5:22-CV-5114, United States District Court, W.D. Arkansas, Fayetteville Division (July 7, 2023) the USDC resolved the bad faith issue.
BAD FAITH
The tort of bad faith is established in Arkansas when an insurance company affirmatively engages in dishonest, malicious, or oppressive conduct in order to avoid a just obligation to its insured. The tort requires evidence of a state of mind characterized by hatred, ill will, or a spirit of revenge. Importantly, bad faith does not arise from a mere denial of a claim; there must be affirmative misconduct.
Plaintiff RMS contends its two claims of loss should have been covered under the policy of insurance it had with Owners. The first loss occurred on May 4, 2020, following a hailstorm that caused damage to RMS’s warehouse. The second loss was in February 2021, after a winter storm event. RMS narrows its bad-faith claim to Owners’s treatment of the winter-storm claim and explicitly states that Owners did not act in bad faith with respect to the hailstorm claim.
The only evidence RMS cited in support of its bad-faith claim is the denial letter sent by insurance adjuster Brian Doherty. RMS believes Mr. Doherty “misrepresented” in the letter what the insurance policy actually provided and omitted reference to crucial portions of the policy that provided coverage.
The standard for establishing a claim for bad faith is, and always should be, rigorous and difficult to satisfy. RMS betrayed a fundamental misunderstanding about the tort when, at one point in its briefing, it characterizes Owners’ actions as “[a]t best… a mistake,” Neither a mistake nor a “refusal to pay a disputed claim” is tortious behavior according to Arkansas law.
Summary judgment on Count II, the tort of bad faith, was therefore granted. As a consequence, RMS is not entitled to a punitive damages instruction.
The Motion was granted as to Count II, and the claim of bad faith was dismissed with prejudice; as a result, RMS will not be entitled to an instruction on punitive damages.
ZALMA OPINION
Acting as its own worst enemy the insured’s brief admitted that the insurer erred. A mistake may be sufficient to establish a breach of contract but is insufficient to prove the tort of bad faith and the right to seek punitive damages.
(c) 2023 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
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The Professional Claims Handler
Post 5218
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/zalma-philosophy-claims-handling-part-8-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-zdwsc, see the full video at https://rumble.com/v70zl4s-the-zalma-philosophy-of-claims-handling-part-8.html and at https://youtu.be/MIYcF71ffRQ, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.
Claims Commandment X – Thou Shall Not Pretend to be a Lawyer
Some experienced and professional claims people know the law in their area of expertise better than most lawyers.
Adjusters should be adjusters and leave lawyering to lawyers. Similarly, lawyers should be lawyers and never try to be adjusters.
Claims Commandment XI – Thou Shall Empathize With the Claimant
Everyone presenting a claim is unhappy, disturbed, shocked, injured and needs help.
Empathy is identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, and motives. It is the ability to understand another person’s circumstances, point of view, thoughts, and feelings....
HOW TO CREATE AN EXCELLENCE IN CLAIMS HANDLING PROGRAM
See the full video at https://rumble.com/v70wb2i-the-zalma-philosophy-of-claims-handling-part-6.html and at https://youtu.be/tL5nDKPEs40 and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.
Post 5217
This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry.
An Excellence in Claims Handling program begins with a statement in the insurer’s claims manual or statement of professionalism that it is dedicated to providing excellence in claims handling to every insured who presents a claim.
The excellence in claims handling program should include, at a minimum:
A series of lectures supported by text materials explaining:
A definition of insurance.
How to read and understand an insurance policy.
How to interview an insured, witness, or claimant.
How to assist an insured in the insured’s obligation to ...
The Professional Claims Handler
Post 5216
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/zalma-philosophy-claims-handling-part-5-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-jde8c, see the full video at https://rumble.com/v70q4x8-the-zalma-philosophy-of-claims-handling-part-5.html and at https://youtu.be/6b9tZQsEkB4, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.
This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry.
Standards to be a Professional Claims Adjuster
The Insurance claims professional should be a person who:
1. Can read and understand the insurance policies issued by the insurer.
2. Understands the promises made by the policy.
3. Understand their obligation, as an insurer’s claims staff, to fulfill the promises made.
4. Are competent investigators.
5. Have empathy and recognize the difference between empathy and sympathy.
6. ...
The Professional Claims Handler
Post 5219
Posted on October 31, 2025 by Barry Zalma
An Insurance claims professionals should be a person who:
Can read and understand the insurance policies issued by the insurer.
Understands the promises made by the policy.
Understand their obligation, as an insurer’s claims staff, to fulfill the promises made.
Are competent investigators.
Have empathy and recognize the difference between empathy and sympathy.
Understand medicine relating to traumatic injuries and are sufficiently versed in tort law to deal with lawyers as equals.
Understand how to repair damage to real and personal property and the value of the repairs or the property.
Understand how to negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement with the insured that is fair and reasonable to both the insured and the insurer.
How to Create Claims Professionals
To avoid fraudulent claims, claims of breach of contract, bad faith, punitive damages, unresolved losses, and to make a profit, insurers ...
The History Behind the Creation of a Claims Handling Expert
The Insurance Industry Needs to Implement Excellence in Claims Handling or Fail
Post 5210
This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry. This statement of my philosophy on claims handling starts with my history as a claims adjuster, insurance defense and coverage lawyer and insurance claims handling expert.
My Training to be an Insurance Claims Adjuster
When I was discharged from the US Army in 1967 I was hired as an insurance adjuster trainee by a professional and well respected insurance company. The insurer took a chance on me because I had been an Army Intelligence Investigator for my three years in the military and could use that training and experience to be a basis to become a professional insurance adjuster.
I was initially sat at a desk reading a text-book on insurance ...
The History Behind the Creation of a Claims Handling Expert
The Insurance Industry Needs to Implement Excellence in Claims Handling or Fail
Post 5210
This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry. This statement of my philosophy on claims handling starts with my history as a claims adjuster, insurance defense and coverage lawyer and insurance claims handling expert.
My Training to be an Insurance Claims Adjuster
When I was discharged from the US Army in 1967 I was hired as an insurance adjuster trainee by a professional and well respected insurance company. The insurer took a chance on me because I had been an Army Intelligence Investigator for my three years in the military and could use that training and experience to be a basis to become a professional insurance adjuster.
I was initially sat at a desk reading a text-book on insurance ...
