A California appellate court ruled that an insurer could not have breached either its policy or the duty of good faith when no coverage was available for the insureds’ claim. The case is Gharibian v. Wawanesa General Ins. Co., 2025 Cal. App. LEXIS 64 (Cal. Ct. App. 2025).

What Happened

The Saddle Ridge wildfire burned through northern Los Angeles county during fall 2019. Hovik Gharibian and Caroline Minasian’s home–only half a mile from the fire–escaped the touch of the flames, but the property was inundated with ash and smoke.

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