No Bad Faith If Insurer Refuses To Allow Excess Judgment To Be Entered Against Its Insured
Franklin Kropilak was badly injured when Collins made a left hand turn in front of his motorcycle. The insured was cited by a police officer just after the accident. 21st Century had the police report within in one week and within in two weeks knew that the hospital lien was $33,888. The policy for Collins provided for a liability limit of $10,000 for the crash. Thirty-seven days after the accident the insurer mailed to the attorney for the plaintiff a check for the policy limits. The plaintiff never accepted the policy limits. He did not cash the check. More than a year later in March the plaintiff proposed a settlement whereby consent judgment would be entered against Collins for $150,000 but Kropilak would agree to pursue only the insurance company for the amount in excess of her coverage. 21st Century did not agree to this proposed settlement, which the parties referred to as a Cunningham agreement.