Honesty Still Matters, as Told by Espedito v. Nat'l Fire

Material misrepresentation by insured to insurer can void insurance policy at summary judgment (Espedito Realty v. National Fire Ins.).

Law360, New York (August 07, 2013, 12:47 PM ET) ‐‐ In "Huckleberry Finn," Mark Twain examined questions of honesty and deceit as his young protagonist sought adventure on the shores of the Mississippi River. Asked about the novel’s theme, humorist Twain replied: “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” Recent case law teaches that policyholders should heed Twain’s advice when presenting insurance claims.