阿拉巴马州船艇经销商胜诉：州最高法院下令恢复其追讨7.53万美元未到期保费诉讼
阿拉巴马州最高法院作出裁决，推翻下级法院的驳回决定，允许阿拉巴马州鲍德温县湾岸市（Gulf Shores）的船艇经销商湾岸动力体育用品公司（Gulf Shores Power Sports）继续起诉奥兰治比奇的麦卡伦保险集团（McCarron Insurance Group）。该意见于10月23日发布，11月2日见报。
经销商指控，这家独立保险代理机构在保单取消后扣留了至少7.53万美元未到期保费。案件起因是经销商通过批发经纪人海事项目集团（Maritime Program Group）投保内陆水运险，共向麦卡伦支付了19万6463美元保费，2023年取消商业保单后，经销商认为部分保费应当退还。批发经纪人退回的1万5114美元被麦卡伦交存法院提存。
下级法院此前以第三方提存程序为由驳回了诉讼，但最高法院认为，提存程序并未解决经销商提出的过失、肆意、鲁莽与欺诈等独立索赔，因此驳回决定有误。大法官 Greg Shaw 撰写意见指出，下级法院错误地驳回了麦卡伦并处置了独立责任索赔。
最高法院签发执行令，要求巡回法院撤销驳回决定、恢复诉讼，案件发回后将继续审理。
（来源：Insurance Journal）
Alabama Boat Dealer Wins Reinstatement of Suit Seeking $75,300 in Unearned Premiums
The Alabama Supreme Court has reversed a lower court's dismissal and ordered that Gulf Shores Power Sports, a boat dealership in Gulf Shores, Baldwin County, Alabama, may continue its lawsuit against McCarron Insurance Group, an independent agency in Orange Beach. The opinion was issued on October 23 and reported on November 2.
The dealer alleges the agency retained at least $75,300 in unearned premiums after its policies were canceled. The dealer had paid McCarron $196,463 for inland marine coverage obtained through wholesale broker Maritime Program Group; after it canceled the commercial policies in 2023, the broker refunded $15,114, which McCarron deposited with the court through an interpleader action.
The trial court dismissed the suit on the basis of the interpleader, but the Supreme Court held that the interpleader did not resolve the dealer's independent claims of negligence, wantonness, recklessness and fraud. Writing for the court, Justice Greg Shaw said the circuit court erred in dismissing McCarron and disposing of the independent liability claims.
The Supreme Court issued a writ of mandamus directing the circuit court to rescind the dismissal and reinstate the suit, which will now proceed.
(Source: Insurance Journal)
来源：Insurance Journal
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：图：位于蒙哥马利的阿拉巴马州最高法院大楼。Michael Barera 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Alabama Supreme Court building in Montgomery. By Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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