State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. v. Caldwell

FARMER, Judge.

The issue is whether the purposeful and deliberate act of striking another person in defense of oneself falls within the meaning of a homeowner’s insurance policy exclusion for bodily injury which is either expected or intended by an insured even if the actor did not intend to harm the person struck. In this case,.the altercation occurred at a social gathering at the insured’s house. Some good-natured bantering evolved into physical horseplay which in turn became quite unfri-volous. A chokehold led to pushing, which led to taunting, which finally culminated in the host/insured…