Hartford Archdiocese Wins Sex-Abuse Insurance Case

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford has won a judgment against an insurer it sued for failing to reimburse the archdiocese for payments it made to settle sexual misconduct cases involving priests and minors.

A federal judge in New Haven ruled against Interstate Fire & Casualty last Thursday and ordered the Chicago-based company to pay the archdiocese $945,000 plus an amount of interest to be determined later.

The insurer denied allegations that it breached its contract by refusing to reimburse church officials for more than $1 million in payments made in four abuse cases after the company reimbursed them for previous settlements.

The case was one of many around the country in which insurance companies have balked at paying legal settlements for priest sex abuse.