Texas Orthodontist Says COVID-19 Losses Covered Under Policy

BEAUMONT, Texas — A Texas orthodontist practice has sued its insurers in federal court, maintaining that its COVID-19-related business interruption losses are covered under its policy.

In an April 24 complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Gulf Coast Orthodontic Specialists and Dr. Ronald Risinger argue that unlike many property and loss of business income policies, their policy does not exclude losses caused by virus or bacteria.

Without conducting an investigation, Sentinel Insurance Co. denied plaintiffs’ claim for business interruption losses they sustained after state and local governments ordered its offices closed to thwart …