N.C. Hand & Stone Franchises Sue West Bend for COVID-19 Coverage

RALEIGH, N.C. — The owners of several North Carolina Hand & Stone massage franchises have sued West Bend Insurance Co. for coverage of more than $50,000 in losses they sustained when government orders required them to close during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a complaint removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina on Sept. 22, plaintiffs assert that their policies cover government-ordered suspensions of business due to an outbreak of a communicable disease.

Blue Coral LLC and its affiliates own and operate eight Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa franchises in North Carolina. They …