Homeowner’s Tropical Storm Irene Claims Time-Barred, N.J. Federal Judge Rules

CAMDEN, N.J. — Breach of contract and bad faith claims asserted against an insurer in a Tropical Storm Irene case are time-barred under the policy’s limitations period because the lawsuit was filed more than two years after the insurer’s unequivocal denial of coverage, a New Jersey federal judge has ruled.

On May 22, Judge Robert B. Kugler of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey concluded that the insurer’s letters explaining that the total amount of the claim was below the policy deductible constituted clear denials of coverage.

Frederic Snell’s home in Little Egg Harbor Township, N.J., …