Opinion ID: 768363
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Coverage for Repair and Replacement as Reasonable Expenses

Text: 36 Appellants and Shakertown contend that the work product exception does not exclude from coverage the repairing and replacing of a defective product incorporated into a larger work; and, thus, that the Policy covers the award of reasonable expenses. This proposition is directly contrary to Louisiana law. First, as as the trial court noted, the award for reasonable expenses is to compensate for the original installation and subsequent removal costs, not for repair and replacement of the defective siding. Second, the cases cited by the Appellants and Shakertown reiterate that work product exceptions properly exclude coverage for damage caused to the defective product itself. See Gardner v. Lakvold, 521 So.2d 818, 820 (La. App. 2nd Cir. 1988); Superior Steel, Inc. v. Bituminous Cas. Corp., 415 So.2d 354, 357 (La. App. 1st Cir. 1982). The award for reasonable expenses does no more than compensate the Appellants for the damage to the siding that resulted from their defective nature. Appellants' and Shakertown's argumentis simply an incorrect reading of Louisiana law.