Fidelity National Title Fidelity Title, Chicago Title, Alamo Title, Ticor Title, Lawyers Title, Common Wealth Land and Title Company Fidelity National Title Denies Claim, Sues Home Owner, Judge Orders Fidelity to Pay Up Omaha, Nebraska
I purchased two lots a year a part from two different sellers in Kihei,Maui, Hawaii. Fidelity Title insured both purchases. In Nov of 2011 the county of Maui informed me that my two lots were actually one big lot and had been combined in 1987, and would be required to spend millions of dollars to subdivide the lots.
I filed a filed a claim with Fidelity National Title. They responded by denying the claim and suing the me for declaratory relief. We had spent $60,000 in legal fees to defend their right to use a service they paid thousands of dollars for. On Monday April 8th, 2013 a Honolulu Judge ruled in favor the insured ordering Fidelity to provide coverage.
As this site seems to indicate, Fidelity never pays on claims. Fidelity's thinking goes something like this: We can spend $1,000,000 to ay this claim or we can take our chances in court, and hope the insured
doesnt have the money to defend a lawsuit. It costs $50,000 to go to court and if we lose it only costs us $1,000,000 plus our attorney fee and their attorney fees = $1,100,000. If this strategy works 9 times out of ten were still ahead of the game. They figure their maximum exposure is the policy limits so why not gamble.
Just when you think it's over, it's not. They Fidelity still won't pay! Looks like we'll be back in court to fight to get our money.