Christian v. American Home Assurance Co.

SIMMS, Justice:

The primary question presented by this appeal is whether under Oklahoma law an insurance company may be subjected to liability in tort for a willful, malicious and bad faith refusal to pay a valid insurance claim.

The trial court held that an insurer could not be subjected to such liability and sustained American Home Assurance Company (Appellee’s) motion for summary judgment, dismissing Bobby Christian’s (Appellant’s) action. From that ruling, Bobby Christian brings this appeal.

The following facts gave rise to this action and, for the purposes of this opinion, they will be…