Kanye West sues insurers for $10 million over canceled tour
The New York Times
The rapper Kanye West filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday accusing several insurance companies of refusing to pay out at least $9.8 million in claims he sought after abruptly canceling the remainder of his 2016 tour.
Very Good Touring, the company handling Mr. Wests Saint Pablo tour, said in the suit that the insurance companies had delayed making a decision in attempts to deny the claim, which was filed in November while the musician was being treated for a debilitating medical condition at a Los Angeles hospital.
The touring company said the insurers, which are syndicates of the insurance market Lloyds of London, suggested without evidence that Mr. Wests marijuana use might have contributed to his medical condition and could invalidate his claims.
The stalling is emblematic of a broader modus operandi of the insurers of never-ending postclaim underwriting, where the insurers hunt for some contrived excuse not to pay, lawyers representing Very Good Touring and Mr. West wrote in court documents filed Tuesday in the Federal District Court for the Central District of California.
A spokeswoman for Lloyds of London declined to comment, saying the company does not discuss litigation.
The touring company said it had sought a ruling from the insurance companies numerous times since November and informed them last month that it might file a lawsuit to get the $9.8 million, plus interest. The insurance companies then promised to decide on the multimillion-dollar claims by this past Thursday, the suit said.
But instead of ruling on the matter, the insurers leaked damaging privileged, private and personal information about Mr. West to news outlets, the suit said. It did not identify the stories.
The policy for Mr. Wests tour said the insurance would cover costs and expenses and commitments if shows had to be canceled. In the suit, Very Good Touring said the insurance companies showed signs soon after the claim was filed that they wanted to deny the payments.
Mr. West kicked off the Saint Pablo tour last August and scheduled 38 shows through the beginning of November. With the tours success, Mr. West added a second leg of 24 shows, ending with a New Years Eve performance in Brooklyn, New York. All of the shows were insured by Lloyds of London syndicates, according to the suit.
