Hartford Says Restaurants Did Not Sustain ‘Direct Physical Loss or Physical Damage’

NEW YORK — Hartford Fire Insurance Co. has moved to dismiss a restaurant holding company’s COVID-19 business interruption coverage action, arguing that it has not sustained “direct physical loss of or physical damage to property,” as required by the policy’s Business Income and Extra Expense provisions.

In a Sept. 21 motion filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, Hartford argues that the suspension of SA Hospitality Group LLC’s restaurants was caused by governmental “stay at home” orders, which “have everything to do with keeping people apart to slow the spread of the virus, and nothing to …