Consulting Firm Loses Bid for COVID-19 Coverage in N.Y. Federal Court

NEW YORK — A New York federal judge has dismissed a consulting company’s COVID-19 coverage action against Hartford Underwriters Insurance Co., following a line of decisions that the virus and related government closure orders do not cause “physical loss or damage” to property.

In a Feb. 17 order, Judge Denise Cote of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York explained that under New York law, the terms “direct physical loss” and “physical damage” do not extend to mere loss of use of a premises, where there has been no physical damage.

Socotec Inc. f.d.a Vidaris Inc. …