Force Placed Insurance Charges Allow Special Defense to Foreclosure
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Post 4802
In an action to foreclose a mortgage the trial court granted in part the plaintiff’s motion to strike the defendant’s special defenses and counterclaim; subsequently, the court, Cirello, J., granted the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment as to liability only; thereafter, the court, Spader, J., rendered judgment of foreclosure by sale, and the defendant appealed.
In M&T Bank v. Robert R. Lewis, No. SC 20817, Supreme Court of Connecticut (April 30, 2024) the appeal of a foreclosure judgment presented one question important to insurance professionals: Whether allegations of impropriety in a mortgagee’s force placement of property insurance arise from the making, validity or enforcement of the mortgage for purposes of a special defense to a foreclosure action.
FACTS
Robert R. Lewis claimed that the trial court improperly granted the plaintiff’s motion to strike two of the defendant’s special defenses arising from the plaintiff’s conduct in its force placement of flood insurance on the property at issue, alleging that the plaintiff had unclean hands and breached the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing on the ground that those defenses do not arise from the making, validity or enforcement of the mortgage.
After the defendant failed to make his monthly payment on August 1, 2017, the plaintiff notified him in writing of his default. The plaintiff subsequently elected to accelerate the note and foreclose on the mortgage. The parties participated in the state’s court-supervised foreclosure mediation program but were unable to reach an agreement to modify the loan.
The trial court granted the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment as to liability only.
DISCUSSION
Defendant’s claim that the trial court improperly granted in part the plaintiff’s motion to strike the defendant’s special defenses of unclean hands and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing predicated on the plaintiff’s improprieties in the force placement of the flood insurance, do not ”arise from the making, validity or enforcement” of the mortgage.
In the present case, the trial court struck the special defenses of unclean hands and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing on the ground that the defendant’s allegations did not relate to ”the specific mortgage at issue in this case.” (Emphasis added.)
The question remains whether those allegations are sufficiently related to the making, validity or enforcement of the mortgage. The Supreme Court concluded that they are. The defendant alleges, the plaintiff charged the defendant an amount greater than the ”cost” of the insurance, in violation of section 5 of the mortgage agreement, concealed a ”kickback” agreement that it had with ASIC. All of this alleged conduct is directly related to the plaintiff’s reliance on and enforcement of section 5 of the mortgage agreement.
The Supreme Court noted that the alleged effect of the plaintiff’s conduct in enforcing section 5 of the mortgage agreement-that it wrongfully increased the defendant’s overall debt-provides a sufficient nexus to the foreclosure action. Defendant’s allegations in support of the special defenses are sufficiently connected to the enforcement of the mortgage.
Since an action to foreclose a mortgage is an equitable proceeding it is a fundamental principle of equity jurisprudence that for a plaintiff to show that he is entitled to the benefit of equity he must establish that he comes into court with clean hands. The clean hands doctrine is applied not for the protection of the parties but for the protection of the court. It is applied not by way of punishment but on the basis of considerations that make for the advancement of right and justice. A mortgagor who has defaulted on a mortgage is not precluded from asserting the special defense of unclean hands. Therefore, the Supreme Court took the Defendants allegations as true it concluded that the defendant alleged willful conduct that is not equitable, fair or honest.
The defendant sufficiently pleaded that the plaintiff’s alleged misrepresentations interfered with his right to receive the benefits of the agreement. This Defendant did by alleging that the plaintiff’s kickback scheme wrongfully resulted in the defendant’s payment of more than he was obligated to pay and more than the plaintiff was entitled to charge him, pursuant to the mortgage agreement.
By alleging that Plaintiff’s conduct with force placed insurance increased his overall debt the trial court improperly struck the special defenses.
ZALMA OPINION
Insurance is important to every mortgagee needing it to protect the security for the loan. Mortgages require insureds to obtain insurance and allow, if they fail, to obtain force placed insurance that only protects the mortgagee at the expense of the insured. However, the mortgagee should never charge the insured more than it pays since that would be fraudulent and, as in this case, a defense to the foreclosure.
(c) 2024 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
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Interpleader Protects All Claimants Against Life Policy and the Insurer
Who’s on First to Get Life Insurance Proceeds
Post 5184
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Interpleader Protects All Claimants Against Life Policy and the Insurer
In Metropolitan Life Insurance Company v. Selena Sanchez, et al, No. 2:24-cv-03278-TLN-CSK, United States District Court, E.D. California (September 3, 2025) the USDC applied interpleader law.
Case Overview
This case involves an interpleader action brought by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (Plaintiff-in-Interpleader) against Selena Sanchez and other defendants (Defendants-in-Interpleader).
Key Points
Plaintiff-in-Interpleader’s Application:
The Plaintiff-in-Interpleader...
A Claim by Any Other Name is not a Claim
Post 5182
It is Imperative that Insured Report Potential Claim to Insurers
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In Jeffrey B. Scott v. Certain Underwriters At Lloyd’s, London, Subscribing To Policy No. B0901li1837279, RLI Insurance Company, Certain Underwriters At Lloyds, London And The Insurance Company, Subscribing To Policy No. B0180fn2102430, No. 24-12441, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (August 25, 2025) the court explained the need for a claim to obtain coverage.
Case Background:
This appeal arises from a coverage dispute under a Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance policy. Jeffrey B. Scott, the plaintiff-appellant, was terminated from his role as CEO, President, and Secretary of Gemini Financial Holdings, LLC in October 2019. Following his termination, Scott threatened legal action against Gemini, and ...
A Claim by Any Other Name is not a Claim
Post 5182
It is Imperative that Insured Report Potential Claim to Insurers
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gfbwAsxw, See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gea_hgB3 and at https://lnkd.in/ghZ7gjxy, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.
In Jeffrey B. Scott v. Certain Underwriters At Lloyd’s, London, Subscribing To Policy No. B0901li1837279, RLI Insurance Company, Certain Underwriters At Lloyds, London And The Insurance Company, Subscribing To Policy No. B0180fn2102430, No. 24-12441, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (August 25, 2025) the court explained the need for a claim to obtain coverage.
Case Background:
This appeal arises from a coverage dispute under a Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance policy. Jeffrey B. Scott, the plaintiff-appellant, was terminated from his role as CEO, President, and Secretary of Gemini Financial Holdings, LLC in October 2019. Following his termination, Scott threatened legal action against Gemini, and ...
Barry Zalma: Insurance Claims Expert Witness
Posted on September 3, 2025 by Barry Zalma
The Need for a Claims Handling Expert to Defend or Prove a Tort of Bad Faith Suit
© 2025 Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE
When I finished my three year enlistment in the US Army as a Special Agent of US Army Intelligence in 1967, I sought employment where I could use the investigative skills I learned in the Army. After some searching I was hired as a claims trainee by the Fireman’s Fund American Insurance Company. For five years, while attending law school at night while working full time as an insurance adjuster I became familiar with every aspect of the commercial insurance industry.
On January 2, 1972 I was admitted to the California Bar. I practiced law, specializing in insurance claims, insurance coverage and defense of claims against people insured and defense of insurance companies sued for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. After 45 years as an active lawyer, I asked that my license to practice law be declared inactive ...
The Need for a Claims Handling Expert to Defend or Prove a Tort of Bad Faith Suit
© 2025 Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE
When I finished my three year enlistment in the US Army as a Special Agent of US Army Intelligence in 1967, I sought employment where I could use the investigative skills I learned in the Army. After some searching I was hired as a claims trainee by the Fireman’s Fund American Insurance Company. For five years, while attending law school at night while working full time as an insurance adjuster I became familiar with every aspect of the commercial insurance industry.
On January 2, 1972 I was admitted to the California Bar. I practiced law, specializing in insurance claims, insurance coverage and defense of claims against people insured and defense of insurance companies sued for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. After 45 years as an active lawyer, I asked that my license to practice law be declared inactive and became a consultant and expert witness for lawyers representing insurers and lawyers ...
APPRAISAL AWARD SETS AMOUNT OF DAMAGES RECOVERED FROM INSURER
Post 5180
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It’s a Waste of Time to Sue Your Insurer if You Don’t Have Evidence
Evidence Required to Prove Breach of Contract
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/evidence-required-prove-breach-contract-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-rfelc, see the full video at https://rumble.com/v6yd2z0-evidence-required-to-prove-breach-of-contract.html and at https://youtu.be/2ywEjs3hZsw, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.
It’s a Waste of Time to Sue Your Insurer if You Don’t Have Evidence
In Debbie Beaty and Jonathan Hayes v. Homeowners Of America Insurance Company, No. 01-23-00844-CV, Court of Appeals of Texas, First District (August 26, 2025) Debbie Beaty and Jonathan Hayes filed a claim under their homeowner’s insurance policy with Homeowners of ...
