Good v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance
Good v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
Dr. James W. Good appeals the grant of summary judgment in favor of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (“State Farm”) on his claim that State Farm breached the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing under California law. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and we affirm. Because the parties are familiar with the underlying facts and procedure, we discuss them only as necessary to explain our disposition.
Dr. Good asserts that State Farm, acting in bad faith, wrongfully settled his liability to third parties involved in the multi-vehicle accident giving rise to cover
Nor did the district court err in concluding that there could be no bad faith liability predicated upon State Farm’s alleged unreasonable investigation of Dr. Good’s insurance claim. California courts have concluded that unreasonable investigation is actionable under bad faith only when the insurance company denies or limits a claim after an unreasonable investigation. See Gourley v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 53 Cal.3d 121, 3 Cal.Rptr.2d 666, 822 P.2d 374, 378 (1991) (“The substance of a bad faith action in these first party matters is the insurer’s unreasonable refusal to pay benefits under the policy.”); Egan v. Mut. of Omaha Ins. Co., 24 Cal.3d 809, 169 Cal.Rptr. 691, 620 P.2d 141, 145-46 (1979) (finding bad faith when an insurance company did not take ordinary steps to investigate possible bases for an insured’s claim). State Farm paid Dr. Good’s claim and its investigation and review of the accident show no deliberate attempt to frustrate Dr. Good’s expectations. See Polisso, 43 Cal.Rptr.3d at 487.
AFFIRMED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.