Damage Caused By Loose Barge Falls Under Wind/Water Damage Exclusion, Miss. High Court Rules

JACKSON, Miss. — Damage caused to a home by a casino barge that broke free from its moorings during Hurricane Katrina is excluded from coverage because the policy excluded loss that would not have occurred absent water damage, a Mississippi Supreme Court majority ruled.

In a Jan. 7 opinion, the majority reasoned that the barge was not an independent cause; rather it worked in conjunction with the storm surge to allide with the policyholder’s home, and the loss of the property would not have occurred absent water damage.

Cherri Porter's beachfront vacation home was completely destroyed during Hurricane Katrina in …