Weinstein’s insurers don’t want to pay his legal bills

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.

“Mr. Weinstein has been left in an untenable position, and his patience has run out,” they wrote in one court filing.

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.