Couple Sues Insurer That Used Google Earth Image to Deny Superstorm Sandy Claim

NEW YORK — A New York couple has sued Narragansett Bay Insurance Co. for denying their Superstorm Sandy-related homeowners claim based on photos from Google Earth that showed pre-existing damage to the couple’s home.

In their June 6 complaint in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph and Ellen Perchinelli contend that the five-year-old internet photos, which they say Narragansett never produced, are inaccurate and fail to provide a legitimate basis for the insurer’s refusal to repair a slate roof that was damaged by Sandy.

The Perchinelli’s Lido Beach, N.Y., home was severely damaged as a …