Did Amber Heard use insurance to pay for her defense of Johnny Depp’s defamation lawsuit? It's a smart move that others have used to save millions in attorney's fees. #justiceforjohnnydepp 
In the US, homeowners insurance covers personal liability, which may include defamation suits. Umbrella insurance (not to be confused with @ThatUmbrellaGuy) offers coverage in excess of the limits of the homeowner’s policy.
Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, OJ Simpson, Bill Clinton, and Roger Clemens all turned to their insurance companies to pay for the costs of their defenses.ipjournal.law.wfu.edu/2016/05/sued-f…
Amber Heard had no real property when the parties divorced in 2016, per their dissolution action. She may have bought a home after or had renter’s insurance. The policy in effect when the claim occurred (December 2018) is on the hook.
The insurance company must pay the costs of defending a claim that is covered. Intentional acts are not covered, so the insurance company might not have to pay the verdict if the jury finds her op-ed was knowingly false.
Even when insurance pays, the duty of the lawyers is to the client. The insurance company cannot direct the litigation. Those decisions are made by the client.
There’s nothing wrong with using insurance when it’s available. That’s what it is there for. It’s a good lesson to check your insurance if a claim is made, as you never know what might be covered.
If you liked this thread and want to get the latest updates from the deliberations, please follow me on Twitter.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
