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California Supreme Court Enforces Arbitration Clause: No Conflict with 'Service of Suit' Provision

By Lewis E. Hassett and Matthew A. Barrett

In Boghos v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's of London, 30 Cal. Rptr. 3d 787, 115 P.3d 68 (July 18, 2005), the California Supreme Court held that a disability insurance policy's arbitration and service of suit clauses did not conflict and that the arbitration clause was therefore enforceable. The court in Boghos also concluded that the policy's stipulation that the insured share arbitration costs with the insurer did not render the arbitration clause unenforceable. The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the Court of Appeal and remanded the case to the trial court.

In September 1998, Antone Boghos, the owner of a plumbing business, applied for disability insurance underwritten by certain Lloyd's of London underwriters (“Lloyd's”). The application contained an arbitration provision. The subsequent policy's arbitration clause provided in part:

BINDING ARBITRATION: Not withstanding [sic] any other item set forth [sic] herein, the parties hereby agree that any dispute which arises shall be settled in Binding Arbitration. By agreeing to Binding Arbitration, all parties acknowledge and agree that they waive their right to a trial by jury. …

The policy also set forth that the venue of arbitration would be Los Angeles County unless the parties agreed otherwise. According to the policy, arbitration costs would be equally split among the parties.

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