Opinion ID: 2360987
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Insurance Waiver of Governmental Immunity

Text: [¶ 7] King contends that the Town waived its Maine Tort Claims Act immunity from liability for common law and statutory trespass by virtue of its failure to establish a lack of insurance coverage. Governmental immunity is an affirmative defense, see M.R. Civ. P. 8(c), and the Town bears the burden of establishing that it had no insurance coverage for King's claim. Moore v. City of Lewiston, 596 A.2d 612, 615 (Me.1991). Although the Town pleaded the defense, it did not create a record on this issue beyond an answer to an interrogatory which indicated its status as a member of the Maine Municipal Association Property and Casualty Pool. [4] However, despite numerous opportunities to do so (including three summary judgment dispositions and a trial), King did not press the Town's failure to address its insurance coverage until this appeal. The issue therefore has not been preserved for appeal.