Archdiocese sues insurance firms

New York -- The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York has sued more than two dozen insurance companies, seeking to compel them to cover claims filed by people who say they were abused by clerics.

Church officials anticipate that numerous alleged abuse victims will sue under New York's Child Victims Act, which gives victims a year to file claims alleging sex abuse that were previously barred by the statute of limitations.

The archdiocese, the nation's second-largest after Los Angeles, says in its lawsuit filed Friday in Manhattan state Supreme Court that many of its insurers "intend to dispute, limit, or deny coverage" for abuse claims filed in response to the Child Victims Act, which Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law in February.

"The Archdiocese of New York has filed suit seeking to hold insurance companies to the policies they issued, and for which it paid premiums," archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said in a statement.

Read more: https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Archdiocese-sues-insurance-firms-14068132.php
(Albany Times Union)