5 Jul 2023
Truong v Jeweler's Mutual Insurance Company
In the case of Truong v Jeweler's Mutual Insurance Company, the plaintiffs, Dung Truong and Thuan Nguyen filed a lawsuit against their insurer, defendant Jeweler's Mutual Insurance Company, claiming payment for six pieces of jewelry they alleged were stolen while they were traveling in Vietnam on March 7, 2015. The defendant had insured the jewelry under a specific policy for jewelry coverage, with each piece listed in detail, based on the plaintiffs' provided appraisals. After the alleged theft, the plaintiffs submitted a proof of loss, but the defendant did not issue a formal denial of the claim. At trial, the insurer argued that the evidence presented by the plaintiffs was inconclusive, and they were not entitled to coverage. However, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and issued its judgment in their favor with the following awards:
(i) Damages for the stolen jewellery based on the insured values as per the insurance contract, totaling $502,100.
(ii) Punitive damages in the amount of $45,000.
(iii) Prejudgment interest will be determined.
Regarding costs and prejudgment interest, the plaintiffs' counsel was required to submit a bill of costs and brief submissions, not exceeding four pages, within 20 days from the date of the judgment. The defendant's counsel was also given 20 days to submit their own brief submissions of a similar length. No reply submissions were allowed.