Opinion ID: 1980868
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Misrepresentations Regarding the Burial of the Deer

Text: [¶ 16] Maine Farms contends that the Superior Court erred in entering a judgment as a matter of law against it on its claim of unfair claims practices. See M.R. Civ. P. 50(a). At trial, Maine Farms attempted to prove that Peerless, through its representatives and agents, made misrepresentations that induced Maine Farms to bury the dead deer, and that the burial of all the deer resulted in Maine Farms being hindered in its efforts to prove that lightning was the cause of the death of the deer, further resulting in Peerless denying coverage for the loss of the deer. Maine Farms, therefore, contends it was deprived of the money it was due under the policy, and that this in turn caused other, consequential damages to its business. This, Maine Farms asserts, constitutes a violation of Peerless's duty of good faith and fair dealing. We disagree. [¶ 17] We have held that in every insurance contract an insurer owes a duty to act in good faith and deal fairly with its insured in the handling of insurance claims. Marquis v. Farm Family Mut. Ins. Co., 628 A.2d 644, 648 (Me.1993). This duty derives from the insurer's relationship as the authorized representative of the insured. Linscott v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 368 A.2d 1161, 1163 (Me.1977). The party claiming breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing has the burden of proving that the insurance company acted in bad faith or unfairly. See, e.g., Chiapetta v. Lumbermens Mut. Ins. Co., 583 A.2d 198, 202 (Me.1990). [¶ 18] John Hilton, a Cheney representative, went to the scene of the claim in order to advise Maine Farms that Peerless would do whatever it could to facilitate getting claims personnel out there, but that it could be delayed because the claim arose on a Friday afternoon. Hilton was aware that Waltz had called some veterinarians in the area and that one of the veterinarians, Dr. Pierce, advised Waltz to bury the deer for public health reasons. Hilton specifically told Waltz that if he intended to bury the deer, that the least he should do would be to preserve at least one or two of the dead deer carcasses so that the claims adjuster would have some evidence to examine and possibly have examined by, you know, independent parties. Waltz admitted at trial that Hilton never explicitly told him to bury the deer, and that when Hilton told him to save one for a sample, in my mind it said he was giving me permission to bury the rest. Waltz testified that he relied on Dr. Pierce's recommendation that he should bury the deer for reasons of public health. [¶ 19] That evidence is simply insufficient to support the claim of Maine Farms that Peerless engaged in unfair claims practices, and the record discloses no other evidence establishing that Peerless or its agents made misrepresentations in violation of its duty of good faith and fair dealing concerning the burial of the deer. [3]