The Georgia Court of Appeals has reversed a ruling by a Bleckley County Superior Court judge, and granted summary judgment, dismissing a suit filed by policyholders. The court found that the property insurer is off the hook for a $200,000 claim against a policy that it canceled, leaving a lawsuit against the agent who was arrested for pocketing their premiums as the only recourse available to the homeowners.

Charles and Wanda Lancaster, the homeowners, say that when it came time to renew their farm owner's policy with American Reliable Insurance Co. in December 2014, they made premium payments directly to their insurance agent, Macie Anedra Yawn, who was the sole proprietor of the Charles Robinson Insurance Agency in Georgia.

The Lancasters home was completely destroyed by a fire in May, 2015, six months from the date they paid their premium to Yawn. The Lancasters filed a claim and American Reliable denied the claim, stating that the policy had been canceled because the premium was not paid when the renewal time arrived.