Miss. Restaurant Owners Lose Battle for COVID-19 Coverage in Federal Court

ABERDEEN, Miss. — A group of Mississippi restaurant owners cannot recoup COVID-19 losses under their policies’ coverage for food-borne illness because they did not allege the physical spread and/or contamination of the virus at their locations, a federal judge has ruled.

In a March 15 order, Judge Debra M. Brown of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi further found the coverage was not triggered because they did not present evidence that government orders suspending dine-in operations resulted from a general “allegation” that the virus was present at their restaurants.

University Management Inc., Columbus Deli Inc., Grill …