Bartlett v. Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance

Bell, Judge;

This appeal involves a claim for bad faith refusal to pay first party benefits under a contract of insurance. The plaintiff, J. Frank Bartlett, sued Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance Company, alleging two causes of action; (1) breach of contract; and (2) bad faith refusal to pay benefits due under a contract of insurance. Nationwide moved to strike the allegations of bad faith refusal to pay on the ground that Nichols v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., 279 S. C. 336, 306 S. E. (2d) 616 (1983), did not apply to claims arising prior to the decision in that case. The…