Nebraska jury orders Farmers to pay $11.3M in COVID death insurance case
The gist
A Douglas County jury said Farmers should pay $11.3 million in bad-faith damages to Jose Gaytan's widow.
Farmers had refused to honor his $350,000 policy after his 2020 COVID death.
How it unfolded
- May 31, 2020Jose Gaytan dies of COVID-19, 20 days after his wife Vaneza Ramos gave birth to their last baby.
- Sep 2020Farmers New World Life Insurance declines to pay the $350,000 policy, citing an undisclosed history of a heart attack, and tries to send a $17,360 check instead.
- Mar 2026The first jury finds Farmers breached the insurance contract and rejects the allegation of fraudulent misrepresentation.