Court Rejects Homeowner's Reliance on 'Windstorm or Hail' Clauses

TROY, Mich. - A Michigan appellate court rejected a homeowner's reliance on "windstorm or hail" clauses in seeking coverage for water and mold damage that the owner said came after a storm damaged his roof. Holliday v. Pioneer State Mutual Ins. Co., No. 281319 (Mich. Ct. App.).

Michigan's Court of Appeals also concluded in its unpublished opinion on March 5 that the trial court didn't err in denying coverage because of testimony from defense experts that damage to Thomas Holliday's home was longstanding rather than storm-related.

Holliday sued Pioneer State Mutual Insurance Co. for coverage of what he claimed …