However, the court ruled that the claim for bad faith could proceed. Oklahoma law recognizes an exception where a non-party to an insurance contract can be held accountable if it acts as though it were the insurer, particularly in processing claims. The Lightfoots alleged that Liberty Mutual and Safeco were involved in handling their claim, making coverage decisions, training adjusters, and sharing financial risk with American Economy Insurance. The judge found that if these claims were proven true, they could establish a “special relationship” between the companies and the policyholders, making them subject to liability for bad faith insurance practices.Â

Clinton Mora is a reporter for Trending Insurance News. He has previously worked for the Forbes. As a contributor to Trending Insurance News, Clinton covers emerging a wide range of property and casualty insurance related stories.