Latest news with #Harco
Graziadaily
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Justin Baldoni Is In Hot Water Again After New Lawsuit From His Insurance Company
The insurer covering Justin Baldoni's studio Wayfarer for work on It Ends With Us has sued him and the studio, stating that its policies don't cover the claims made by Blake Lively in her sexual harassment lawsuit. Harco National Insurance Company – the insurer in question – filed a lawsuit on Monday stating that the two policies that Wayfarer took out with them ran between 15 July 15 2023 and July 15, 2024, and a second running from 15 July 2024 to 15 July, 2025. Therefore, the lawsuit alleges that 'Lively and others complained of sexual harassment during pre-production and production of the Film,' which was as early as May 2023, outside the time parameters of the policy. The insurance company has advised that it 'will not provide coverage for claims or incidents which the applicant is aware of prior to the inception date of any coverage that is offered and accepted.' Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in It Ends With Us. (Photo: IMAGO) The accusations listed in Lively's complaint against Baldoni include sexual harassment; retaliation; failure to investigate, prevent and/or remedy harassment; aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation; breach of contract; intentional infliction of emotional distress; negligence; false light invasion of privacy and interference with prospective economic advantage. Baldoni then filed a $400 million countersuit, which claimed that Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, orchestrated a smear campaign against him. His countersuit was dismissed by a judge earlier this month. 'Despite the acknowledged pre-July 2023 complaints by Lively and others, Wayfarer's July 2023 Application for the 2023 Policy includes a letter from Wayfarer which warrants that no person or entity for whom the insurance is intended has any knowledge or information of any act, error, omission, fact or circumstance which may give rise to a claim which may fall within the Employment Practices Liability coverage if issued by Harco (the '2023 Warranty'),' the lawsuit states. 'Despite this notice, and despite the November 2023 Demand and additional allegations of sexual harassment presented by Lively during a January 2024 meeting, Wayfarer's 2024 Renewal Application advised Harco that there was no claim, notice of potential claim, or any situation that may give rise to a claim within the last 12 months,' it continues. 'There was no claim or notice or potential claim.' Essentially, Harco are alleging that they were not informed of Blake Lively's complaints, which were a precursor to the litigation that followed, during the filming of It Ends With Us. The ongoing legal issues come after latest developments in Lively's initial lawsuit saw her deposed by Baldoni's team ahead of trial. Lively was granted a protective order by the judge presiding over the case, after her team feared Baldoni's would make a public spectacle it and that content creators would be invited to the should-be private deposition - which took place on 17 July. The director's legal team was therefore asked to identify everyone who will attend her deposition, They were required to give two days notice as to who will be attending. Before this motion was granted, Baldoni's team suggested that the Gossip Girl actor was using her 'celebrity status' as well as trying to dictate and control the deposition, 'at a location of her choosing.' 'Lively is a plaintiff who has hurled serious allegations of misconduct against the Wayfarer Parties,' a letter from Baldoni's team reads. 'Like all defendants, the Wayfarer Parties are entitled to depose Lively to develop evidence crucial to their defense. They are also entitled to choose the location of the deposition, which they did.' His team also referred to Lively's requests as examples of 'foot stomping' referring to her lawyer's behaviour as a 'tantrum,' and that she has used her celebrity status to 'seize control' of It Ends With Us, which Baldoni and Lively both starred in. Statements were made by Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman about holding Lively's deposition at New York City's Madison Square Garden. 'Hold the deposition at MSG, sell tickets or stream it, and donate every dollar to organisations helping victims of domestic abuse,' he told People in an interview. Freedman has also subpoenaed Taylor Swift as part of his legal strategy, who he has claimed was the target of an extortion effort by Lively. The date for Lively and Baldoni's trial is set for March 2026 and will be held in New York City. Lawyers for both actors have indicated that both plan to testify during the proceedings.
Buzz Feed
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Justin Baldoni Is Being Sued Over "It Ends With Us" Again
Justin Baldoni is being Last December, his It Ends With Us costar, Blake Lively, sued Justin (who also directed the movie), alleging sexual harassment. He denied the allegations and attempted to countersue her for $400 million, claiming defamation for one, but his suit against Blake and her husband Ryan Reynolds was ultimately dismissed by a judge last month. Justin also filed separate suits against the New York Times and publicist Leslie Sloane, which were dismissed at the same time. "As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it," a statement from Blake's lawyers subsequently read. "We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages and punitive damages." Yesterday, Harco Insurance Company filed a lawsuit in New York against Justin, the production company he cofounded (Wayfarer Studios), and other related entities. The gist of their complaint is that the insurance company thinks that they shouldn't have to pay any legal fees for Justin or Wayfarer in relation to Blake's complaints as their agreement allegedly does "not provide coverage for the claims asserted by Blake." Why? Well, for one, they point to a section in Blake's complaint where she says that she made complaints of sexual harassment in April through June of 2023. A separate now-dismissed lawsuit from Justin against Blake similarly acknowledges that Blake raised her complaints with Justin as early as May 2023. The issue here is that Wayfarer allegedly first applied for insurance for the year after Blake made her complaints. According to Harco's complaint, the studio didn't tell the insurance company: "Despite the acknowledged pre-July 2023 complaints by Lively and others, Wayfarer's July 2023 Application for the 2023 Policy includes a letter from Wayfarer which warrants that no person or entity for whom the insurance is intended has any knowledge or information of any act, error, omission, fact or circumstance which may give rise to a claim." Furthermore, the insurance company claims that nobody told them about when Blake, Justin, and other execs met in early 2024 to discuss Blake's allegations of sexual harassment on set. This was important when it came to them renewing their insurance for the following year. "The first page of the 2024 Renewal Application includes a notice, in all capitals which advised Wayfarer that it should report any currently known claims or circumstances that could result in a claim to its current insurer because '[HARCO] WILL NOT PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR CLAIMS OR INCIDENTS WHICH THE APPLICANT IS AWARE OF PRIOR TO THE INCEPTION DATE,'" the suit continues. "Wayfarer's 2024 Renewal Application advised Harco that there was no claim, notice of potential claim, or any situation that may give rise to a claim within the last 12 months." In fact, Harco alleges that Wayfarer and Justin only told the insurance company about Blake's legal action in April this year, when they allegedly "demanded that Harco provide them with a defense and indemnity." When the insurance company told Justin et. al that they didn't have coverage for Blake's complaints, they apparently said that they "disagree." On the plus side for Justin, his Wayfarer Studios cofounder, billionaire Stephen Sarowitz (who is also named as a defendant in the insurance lawsuit), previously said that he'd be willing to "spend $100 million to ruin the lives of Ms. Lively and her family.'
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Blake Lively suit sparks legal twist — insurer sues Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer
Blake Lively's sexual harassment lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios has gotten even more complicated and legal. The lawsuit against Blake Lively for harassment related to the movie It Ends With Us has taken an unexpected turn. The drama is no longer just happening in courtrooms; it's also happening in boardrooms. Justin Baldoni's insurance company is suing him, adding more to the already messed-up drama. What does the insurance company say? Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Digital Marketing Public Policy CXO Finance PGDM Others Artificial Intelligence Degree MCA healthcare Cybersecurity Operations Management Leadership Technology Data Science others Project Management MBA Product Management Management Healthcare Data Analytics Design Thinking Data Science Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategies Customer Journey Mapping Paid Advertising Campaign Management Emerging Technologies in Digital Marketing Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Digital Marketing and Analytics Starts on May 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategy Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Social Media Marketing & Advertising Data Analytics & Measurement Duration: 24 Weeks Indian School of Business Professional Certificate Programme in Digital Marketing Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Harco National Insurance Company , which covers Baldoni's and his business's liability, has filed a federal lawsuit saying it shouldn't have to pay for Lively's claims. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Big Discounts on Watches, Shop Now Luxury Watches Shop Now Undo Harco's complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, is mostly about timing and disclosure. The company says that two insurance policies, one issued in July 2023 and the other in July 2024, came after Lively and others had already complained about harassment during the early stages of making It Ends With Us. Harco says these problems started in May 2023, which is outside the coverage window, as per a report by Deadline. ALSO READ: Megyn Kelly shocks fans by calling Jennifer Lopez a soft porn star after racy concert clip goes viral Live Events Harco also points to a warranty letter that was sent with Wayfarer's application for the 2023 policy. The studio told the insurance company in it that it didn't know of any acts, facts, or circumstances that could lead to a claim. Harco says this is a big problem because the warranty language clearly says that coverage is not available if the person knew about it but didn't tell anyone. How does this relate to Blake Lively's case? Last year, Blake Lively sued Baldoni and others, saying they harassed her and retaliated against her on set. The movie came out in August 2024 and made $351 million around the world. But Lively's claims have hurt the film's legacy a lot. ALSO READ : Apple's iPhone 17 series to launch in September with a slim surprise in the lineup Justin Baldoni filed a countersuit against her, claiming defamation and extortion. A judge threw out his case against The New York Times, which had reported on the issue, but the rest of the legal battle is still going on. The trial is set for March 2026. What's going to happen next in this high-stakes legal drama? Harco wants the court to say that it is not responsible for any legal problems that come up because of Lively's claims. That includes any possible damages, settlements, or court costs. Baldoni, Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath, co-founder Steve Sarowitz, and It Ends With Us Movie LLC are all defendants in the insurance case. There are now two lawsuits going on at the same time, one civil and one about insurance coverage. This raises the stakes for everyone involved. The legal battle is more than just about famous people and the movie business; it shows how important it is to word, time, and disclose policies when claims come up, as per a report by Deadline. FAQs Why is the insurance company suing Justin Baldoni? Harco claims Baldoni's team failed to disclose previous complaints before purchasing insurance. When will Blake Lively' s lawsuit go to trial? The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in March 2026 in New York.
Express Tribune
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Insurance company refuses to cover Justin Baldoni legal fees in It Ends With Us lawsuit
Justin Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer may face a steep legal bill after their insurer, Harco National Insurance, filed a lawsuit on Monday in New York federal court, stating it has no obligation to cover legal costs tied to sexual harassment allegations on the set of It Ends With Us. Harco argues that the alleged misconduct occurred before the policy became effective in July 2023 and that it was never informed of the complaints made by co-star Blake Lively during the filming. Lively reportedly raised the issues between April and June 2023, months before her formal lawsuit in December 2024. The insurer also claims that Wayfarer failed to disclose these complaints in its 2024 policy renewal application, despite receiving a demand letter in November 2023 and further allegations during a January 2024 meeting. The lawsuit stems from Lively's accusations against Baldoni and his team of retaliation and harassment, alleging they tried to damage her reputation after she spoke up. Baldoni countersued for $400 million, asserting that Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, orchestrated a smear campaign. The case has drawn Hollywood attention, with Taylor Swift subpoenaed and billionaire Steve Sarowitz backing Baldoni, while Reynolds supports Lively. According to Harco's complaint, the production company's $2 million coverage for directors, officers, and employment practices is invalidated by these undisclosed prior claims. In June, Harco formally denied coverage, stating the circumstances fall outside the policy's terms. If the court sides with Harco, Wayfarer and Baldoni could face a six-figure legal burden. The situation has become a high-stakes standoff between wealthy stakeholders, turning what began as a workplace complaint into one of Hollywood's most-watched legal dramas.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AM Best Revises Outlooks to Positive for IAT Reinsurance Company Ltd. and Most Operating Subsidiaries; Affirms Credit Ratings of Allegheny Casualty Company
OLDWICK, N.J., February 06, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has revised the outlooks to positive from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of "a-" (Excellent) of IAT Reinsurance Company Ltd. (IAT Re) (Cayman Islands). Concurrently, AM Best has revised the outlooks to positive from stable and affirmed the FSR of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of "a-" (Excellent) of the members of Harco National Group (Harco) (Raleigh. NC). (See below for a detailed list of these subsidiaries and Credit Ratings [ratings].) In addition, AM Best has affirmed the FSR of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICR of "a-" (Excellent) of Allegheny Casualty Company (ACC) (Newark, NJ). The outlook of these ratings is stable. The revision of the outlooks to positive for IAT Re and Harco, reflects AM Best's expectation that the groups will continue to generate positive earnings, which will contribute to organic surplus growth and improved risk-adjusted capitalization, as well as a continued trend of improved qualitative balance sheet metrics over the intermediate term. The ratings reflect IAT Re's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). Also, IAT Re's balance sheet strength assessment reflects its strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalization as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), strengthening reserve position and quality investment portfolio. The company's enhanced reserve profile has led to improved development and less volatility around the BCAR, which has improved A.M Best's overall view of the balance sheet assessment. IAT Re's operating performance has produced profitable results in recent years despite economic challenges and historic catastrophe events. IAT Re is a Cayman Islands based reinsurer that provides excess of loss and other reinsurance to primary insurance companies. A significant portion of the company's premiums are assumed from its U.S. subsidiaries through quota share reinsurance agreements. Through these agreements, IAT Re provides capacity for the various lines of business generated by its insurance subsidiaries, which include commercial auto liability, commercial auto physical damage, homeowners, surety, inland marine, general liability, other property and workers' compensation. Distribution channels are diverse as business is marketed primarily through independent agencies, wholesale agents and brokers. The ratings of Harco reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate ERM. ACC's ratings reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate ERM. The FSR of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICRs of "a-" (Excellent) have been affirmed with the outlooks revised to positive from stable for the following members of Harco: Acceptance Casualty Insurance Company Acceptance Indemnity Insurance Company Commercial Alliance Insurance Company Harco National Insurance Company International Fidelity Insurance Company Occidental Fire and Casualty Company of North Carolina TRANSGUARD INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. Wilshire Insurance Company This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best's Credit Ratings, Best's Performance Assessments, Best's Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best's Ratings & Assessments. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit Copyright © 2025 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on Contacts Joni Cerbone Senior Financial Analyst+1 908 882 1690 Christopher Sharkey Associate Director, Public Relations +1 908 882 2310 Erik Miller, CFA Director +1 908 882 5187 Al Slavin Senior Public Relations Specialist +1 908 882 2318
