Legal Sea Foods Sues Insurer in Federal Court for COVID-19 Shutdown Coverage

BOSTON — Legal Sea Foods has sued Strathmore Insurance Co. in Massachusetts federal court, contending the COVID-19 pandemic has caused direct physical loss or damage that is covered under the restaurant chain's commercial property policy.

In a May 4 complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Legal Sea Foods contends that Strathmore denied its claim without conducting any real investigation, summarily concluding that the chain’s losses “do not constitute physical loss of or damage to either covered property at the described premises or damage to any property in the surrounding area which would limit access …