The Brink's Company v. Chubb European Group Limited

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Virginia
DecidedNovember 20, 2020
Docket3:20-cv-00520
StatusUnknown

This text of The Brink's Company v. Chubb European Group Limited (The Brink's Company v. Chubb European Group Limited) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
The Brink's Company v. Chubb European Group Limited, (E.D. Va. 2020).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA Richmond Division THE BRINK’S COMPANY, ) Plaintiff, Vv. Civil Action No. 3:20-cv-520-HEH CHUBB EUROPEAN GROUP LIMITED, et al., ) Defendants. MEMORANDUM OPINION (Denying Motion for Remand) This matter is before the Court on The Brink’s Company’s (“Plaintiff”) Motion for Remand (ECF No. 8), filed on July 14, 2020. This case was removed from the Circuit Court for the County of Henrico on July 9, 2020. (ECF No. 1.) Plaintiff contests removal, and claims that there is not diversity jurisdiction in this case because Chubb European Group Limited (“Chubb”) and Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London Subscribing to Policy No. B091/L11831111 (“Underwriters,” collectively “Defendants”) have not adequately pled their citizenship. The parties have filed memoranda in support of their respective positions and the Court heard oral argument on the Motion on September 30, 2020. The Motion is ripe for the Court’s review. For the foregoing reasons, the Court will deny the Motion for Remand. I. BACKGROUND As set forth in the Complaint, Plaintiff is a cash management company based in Henrico, Virginia. (Notice of Removal, ECF No. 1, Ex. A, J 8.) In 2018, Plaintiff sought

specialty insurance and obtained comprehensive crime insurance through the insurance marketplace Lloyd’s, London (“Lloyd’s”). Ud. 4 10.) Lloyd’s is not an insurance company; it is an entity that controls a specialty insurance marketplace, functioning similarly to the New York Stock Exchange. Allen v. Lloyd's, London, No. 3-cv-522-REP, 1996 WL 490177, at *2 (E.D. Va. Aug. 23, 1996). The market was originally (and still is in part) funded by wealthy individuals who provide capital to underwrite insurance policies for a variety of risks. Id. at *2-3. These individuals are members of Lloyd’s and are called “Names,” and, over time, Names have become a mixture of business entities and individuals. Jd. at *3. Names are grouped into syndicates, which can also sometimes form groups, to underwrite a policy or risk. Jd. Generally, Names are not involved in day-to-day management of a syndicate; instead, a

manager or agent is appointed to monitor daily operations. Id. Plaintiff obtained primary coverage for its comprehensive crime insurance through Chubb and first excess comprehensive insurance coverage through the Underwriters for the period between April 1, 2018 and April 1, 2019. (ECF No. 1, Ex. A, 4 J 10-11.) Together, the policies covered Plaintiff in an amount up to $50,000,000.00 (a $10,000,000.00 policy limit on the primary coverage and $40,000,000.00 of excess coverage through the excess comprehensive policy). (/d. | 12.) During the 2018 coverage period, Plaintiff discovered that one of its employees, Roiland Gotiangco (“Gotiangco”), defrauded Plaintiff by modifying, corrupting, and erasing confidential data in Plaintiff's systems dating back as far as 2016. (/d. □ 14-15.) As a result of this scheme, Plaintiff alleges that Gotiangco fraudulently transferred $1,220,078.27, leading

to a federal investigation and subsequent indictment for wire fraud and identity theft. (d. 18-21.) Thereafter, Plaintiff contends it notified Chubb in September 2018 of the theft and warned in October 2018 that further investigation may uncover additional losses. (/d. 22.) Chubb allegedly told Plaintiff that the additional losses would “fall within the definition of a single claim and would ‘attach back’ to this notification.” (/d.) Plaintiff employed KPMG to perform a forensic accounting investigation. (/d. J] 23-25.) Based

upon the results of KPMG’s investigation, Plaintiff asserts that it suffered a loss of $21,725,000.00 from accounts lost due to Gotiangco’s modification of the computer records and $4,500,000.00 in costs to reproduce Plaintiff's accounts and data in addition to the $1,220,078.27 transferred to Gotiangco’s personal accounts. (/d. 725.) Plaintiff states that it then notified the Underwriters that Plaintiff's losses could be as much as $25,000,000.00. Ud. 926.) Accounting for the $100,000.00 deductible, Chubb paid Plaintiff $1,120,078.27 for the actual amount Gotiangco misappropriated as well as an additional $100,000.00 for the proof of loss KPMG prepared. (/d. 27.) Plaintiff claims that Chubb and Underwriters have failed to properly compensate Plaintiff for its losses attributed to Gotiango’s fraud. (/d. ] 28.) Plaintiff brings two claims of breach of contract, one as to each Defendant for failing to cover the entirety of Plaintiffs $26,250,000.00 loss. Defendants contend that there is diversity jurisdiction because Plaintiff is diverse from all Defendants and the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000. (d.) As alleged in the Notice of Removal, Defendants assert that the citizenship for all parties is as follows:

e Plaintiff is a Virginia corporation with its principal place of business in Henrico County, Virginia. e Chubb Underwriting Agencies Limited is the managing agent for Lloyd’s Syndicate 2488, which issued the primary coverage policy. Chubb Underwriting Agencies Limited is incorporated in the United Kingdom with its principal place of business in London, England. Lloyd’s Syndicate 2488 has one member, Chubb Capital Limited, which is a private limited company incorporated in the United Kingdom with its principal place of business in London, England. Chubb European Group Limited, the named Defendant, is now called Chubb European Group SE and is incorporated in France with its principal place of business in Courbevoie, France.

e The Underwriters, who issued the excess coverage policy, consist of nine Names grouped into four Syndicates: o QBE Syndicate 1886 is an unincorporated association. Its sole member is QBE Corporate Limited, a private limited company. QBE Corporate Limited is incorporated in England and Wales with its principal place of business in London, England. o Probitas Syndicate 1492 is an unincorporated association. There are six members of this Syndicate: (1) OCIL Limited; (2) Probitas Corporate Capital Limited; (3) GIC Re, India, Corporate Member Limited; (4) IAT CCM Limited; (5) Iris Balanced Corporate Member Limited; and (6) Iris Low Volatility Plus Corporate Member Limited. These entities are all

private limited companies organized under the laws of the United Kingdom with their principal places of business in the United Kingdom. o Liberty Syndicate 4472 is an unincorporated association. Its sole member is Liberty Corporate Capital Limited. Liberty Corporate Capital Limited is

a private limited company organized under the laws of the United Kingdom with its principal place of business in London, England. o XL Syndicate 2003 is an unincorporated association. Its sole member is Caitlin Syndicate Limited. Caitlin Syndicate Limited is a private limited

company organized under the laws of England with its principal place of business in London, England. Plaintiff contends that Defendants insufficiently pled diversity jurisdiction as the Notice of Removal does not properly list all the relevant parties and corresponding citizenship. (ECF No. 9 at 1.) Specifically, Plaintiff argues that Defendants have not included all the Names underwriting the policy. (/d. at 2.) Moreover, as the Names comprising the syndicates are U.K. private limited companies, Plaintiff also asserts that a U.K. private limited company should not be treated as a corporation for diversity purposes, but rather as an unincorporated association. (ECF No. 19 at 11-6.) Accordingly, Plaintiff believes that Defendants must list all the stakeholders for each Name. (/d.) Defendants, however, assert that the Names listed comprise all the Names associated with the syndicates and that no other Name assisted in underwriting the policies. (ECF No. 18 at 1.) Defendants also argue that U.K.

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Bluebook (online)
The Brink's Company v. Chubb European Group Limited, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/the-brinks-company-v-chubb-european-group-limited-vaed-2020.