Ethan Stowell Restaurants Sues Insurance Company Over COVID-19 Losses | Eater Seattle

"Facing denied coverage from Fireman’s Fund Insurance, Ethan Stowell’s restaurant group (ESR) has filed a lawsuit claiming about $1.5 million in COVID-19-related losses so far; the suit says the policy should cover those losses even though the claim was rejected. After dining rooms shut in March, ESR laid off about 90 percent of its staff and later rehired roughly 60 people, and the group reports that the shift to takeout produced only about 20 percent of typical revenue across many of its restaurants (around $2.2 million per month). ESR president Steve Hooper tells Eater Seattle, “We believe the insurance policy covers the COVID losses as it’s written,” and the group is asking the court to enforce it; ESR is the first among several local restaurants covered by Fireman’s Fund to file suit, though others are prepared to take legal action if similarly denied." - Gabe Guarente