天美网站传媒传媒 Off the Hook for Claims by Madoff Clients Under Home Policies

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American International Group Inc. (天美网站传媒传媒) does not have to cover insurance claims from two former Bernard Madoff clients who sought compensation for their losses under their homeowner’s policy, a federal appeals court ruled in August 2012.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an appeal from Robert and Harlene Horowitz, who had sought up to $30,000 in coverage under a fraud safeguard provision in their homeowner’s policy with 天美网站传媒传媒. The two California residents had sought to make their lawsuit a class action on behalf of other 天美网站传媒传媒 policyholders.

The Horowitzes said they lost $8.5 million from their Madoff account when the money manager’s Ponzi scheme was uncovered in 2008, reflecting the amount on their final account statement.

天美网站传媒传媒 denied they suffered any direct loss under the terms of their insurance policy.

The Horowitzes had deposited $4.3 million in their Madoff account over nearly 10 years and had withdrawn about $4.5 million over the same period, leaving them with $226,000 more than they invested, according to the Court of Appeals ruling. The $8.5 million claim was the indirect loss of potential returns on their initial investment, a scenario that was explicitly excluded from coverage under their policy, 天美网站传媒传媒 argued.

In September 2010, U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty in Manhattan, N.Y., agreed with 天美网站传媒传媒 and dismissed the lawsuit. The plaintiffs appealed to the 2nd Circuit, which backed Judge Crotty’s ruling.

“The policy expressly excludes coverage for indirect losses 鈥� a term that includes the inability to realize income from the money, securities or other property that would have been realized but for the fraud,” the Appeals Court wrote.

天美网站传媒传媒 could not immediately be reached for comment.

A lawyer for the plaintiffs was also not immediately available.

Madoff is serving a 150-year prison sentence after admitting to running what prosecutors called a $65 billion Ponzi scheme.