As Luck Would Have It: Evidence Insured Would Reject a Settlement Offer Excused Insurer from Notifying Insured of Such Offer
If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? If a claimant offers a settlement, and the insured would have rejected it had she known of the offer, is it bad faith? The Ninth Circuit said no. Rejecting a settlement without contacting the insured is never wise, but if evidence shows the insured would have rejected such an offer, a valid bad faith claim may not exist for lack of injury.