Dental Practice Entitled to COVID-19 Coverage, Pa. Superior Court Affirms

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — A Pennsylvania Superior Court majority has upheld an award of summary judgment to a dental practice in a COVID-19 business interruption coverage action, finding it suffered a direct physical loss of insured property, triggering coverage under a policy issued by Valley Forge Insurance Co.

On Nov. 3, the majority agreed with the Allegheny County (Pa.) Court of Common Pleas that the virus itself and government orders limiting Timothy Ungarean DMD d/b/a Smile Savers Dentistry PC to performing only emergency procedures caused insurable losses.

Beginning in March 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued a series of orders closing …