<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<subtitle article="gcj" title_number="3" subtitle_number="17" title_name="Courts of General Jurisdiction -- Jurisdiction/special Causes of Action" subtitle_name="Liability of Insurer">
  <section article="gcj" article_name="Courts and Judicial Proceedings" number="3-1701" title_number="3" title_name="Courts of General Jurisdiction -- Jurisdiction/special Causes of Action" subtitle_number="17" subtitle_name="Liability of Insurer">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <text>In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>“Casualty insurance” has the meaning stated in § 1–101 of the Insurance Article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>“Commercial insurance” has the meaning stated in § 27–601 of the Insurance Article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <level label="i">
          <text>“Disability insurance” means insurance that provides for lost income, revenue, or proceeds in the event that an illness, accident, or injury results in a disability that impairs an insured’s ability to work or otherwise generate income, revenue, or proceeds that the insurance is intended to replace.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>“Disability insurance” does not include payment for medical expenses, dismemberment, or accidental death.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>“Good faith” means an informed judgment based on honesty and diligence supported by evidence the insurer knew or should have known at the time the insurer made a decision on a claim.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>“Insurer” has the meaning stated in § 1–101 of the Insurance Article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="7">
        <text>“Property insurance” has the meaning stated in § 1–101 of the Insurance Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>This subtitle applies only to first–party claims under property and casualty insurance policies or individual disability insurance policies issued, sold, or delivered in the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <level label="1">
        <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a party may not file an action under this subtitle before the date of a final decision under § 27–1001 of the Insurance Article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>Paragraph (1) of this subsection does not apply to an action:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>Within the small claim jurisdiction of the District Court under § 4–405 of this article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>If the insured and the insurer agree to waive the requirement under paragraph (1) of this subsection; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>Under a commercial insurance policy on a claim with respect to which the applicable limit of liability exceeds $1,000,000.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>This section applies only in a civil action:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <level label="i">
          <text>To determine the coverage that exists under the insurer’s insurance policy; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>To determine the extent to which the insured is entitled to receive payment from the insurer for a covered loss;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>That alleges that the insurer failed to act in good faith; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>That seeks, in addition to the actual damages under the policy, to recover expenses and litigation costs, and interest on those expenses or costs, under subsection (e) of this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the trier of fact in an action under this section finds in favor of the insured and finds that the insurer failed to act in good faith, the insured may recover from the insurer:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>Actual damages, which actual damages may not exceed the limits of the applicable policy;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>Expenses and litigation costs incurred by the insured in an action under this section or under § 27–1001 of the Insurance Article or both, including reasonable attorney’s fees; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>Interest on all actual damages, expenses, and litigation costs incurred by the insured, computed:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>At the rate allowed under § 11–107(a) of this article; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>From the date on which the insured’s claim would have been paid if the insurer acted in good faith.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="f">
      <text>An insurer may not be found to have failed to act in good faith under this section solely on the basis of delay in determining coverage or the extent of payment to which the insured is entitled if the insurer acted within the time period specified by statute or regulation for investigation of a claim by an insurer.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="g">
      <text>The amount of attorney’s fees recovered from an insurer under subsection (e) of this section may not exceed one–third of the actual damages recovered.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="h">
      <text>The clerk of the court shall file a copy of the verdict or any other final disposition of an action under this section with the Maryland Insurance Administration.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="i">
      <text>This section does not limit the right of any person to maintain a civil action for damages or other remedies otherwise available under any other provision of law.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="j">
      <text>If a party to the proceeding elects to have the case tried by a jury in accordance with the Maryland Rules, the case shall be tried by a jury.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
</subtitle>