Griffin v. Old Republic Insurance

OPINION

By the Court,

Douglas, J.:

In response to a certified question submitted by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, we consider whether an insurer may deny coverage under an aviation insurance policy for failure to comply with an unambiguous exclusion if there is no causal connection between the exclusion and the loss. We hold that insurers need not establish a causal connection between an aviation policy exclusion and the loss in order to avoid liability so long as the exclusion is unambiguous, narrowly tailored, and essential to the risk undertaken by the insurer.

FACTU…