Insurance companies balk at Weinstein bills
As cost of legal defense grows, firms seek relief
NEW YORK — Harvey Weinstein is locked in a messy battle with insurance companies over his steadily mounting legal bills.
The insurance giant Chubb and other carriers that wrote liability policies for Weinstein and his film company are arguing in court that they shouldn’t have to pay for his defense against allegations of rape and sexual harassment.
The policies, they have written in court filings, specifically excluded coverage for “such blatantly egregious and intentionally harmful acts.”
“Mr. Weinstein has nevertheless repeatedly attempted to foist his defense of these lawsuits upon the plaintiff insurers,” lawyers for the companies wrote.
Weinstein’s legal team, which denies that he assaulted any of his dozens of female accusers, has shot back that the insurers are trying to weasel out of their obligations and have unfairly sided with the accusers.
In court papers, they said Weinstein and his company had paid the insurers a fortune in premiums during the past 25 years. At times, they have been indignant in claiming that he is entitled to millions of dollars in coverage.
Weinstein has countersued Chubb and its affiliates, accusing the companies of breach of contract and bad faith.
Weinstein, 66, has pleaded not guilty to attacking three women and is out on $1 million bail. A new count added this month, predatory sexual assault, carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 25 year to life.
By the insurance companies’ latest count, Weinstein and the Weinstein Co. are facing 18 lawsuits and other claims filed just since last year.
They include a suit by the New York attorney general, accusing the company of failing to protect employees from sexual harassment, and others by actresses Kadian Noble and Dominique Huett alleging sexual assault.
It’s unclear how much the legal firestorm is costing Weinstein.
To fight the charges, Weinstein hired Ben Brafman, one of New
York City’s most prominent defense attorneys. His team also includes private investigators trying to turn up evidence that backs his claims that the encounters with the alleged victims were consensual.