Opinion ID: 1695819
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Bad-Faith-Failure-to-Pay Claim

Text: McDole's complaint also alleges that Alfa acted in bad faith when it refused to pay McDole's claim for uninsured-motorist benefits. However, as we have already concluded, McDole's breach-of-contract claim fails as a matter of law. As a result, her claim alleging a bad-faith refusal to pay an insurance claim also fails as a matter of law. See National Sec. Fire & Cas. Co. v. Bowen, 417 So.2d 179, 183 (Ala.1982) (an essential element of a claim alleging a bad-faith refusal to pay is that the insurer has breached the insurance contract); and National Sav. Life Ins. Co. v. Dutton, 419 So.2d 1357, 1362 (Ala.1982) (the proof offered by a plaintiff in a bad-faith-refusal-to-pay-an-insurance-claim action must include proof that the plaintiff is entitled to recover as a matter of law under the insurance contract). Accordingly, the trial court properly dismissed McDole's bad-faith-refusal-to-pay claim.