South Dakota § 58-8-16 Vexatious refusal by unauthorized foreign or alien insurer to make payment--Attorney fees of plaintiff.

South Dakota Statutes

§ 58-8-16 — Vexatious refusal by unauthorized foreign or alien insurer to make payment--Attorney fees of plaintiff.

South Dakota § 58-8-16

Title 58INSURANCE

Ch. 58-8UNAUTHORIZED INSURERS

This text of South Dakota § 58-8-16 (Vexatious refusal by unauthorized foreign or alien insurer to make payment--Attorney fees of plaintiff.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

S.D. Codified Laws § 58-8-16 (2026).

Text

In any action against an unauthorized foreign or alien insurer upon a contract of insurance issued or delivered in this state to a resident thereof or to a corporation authorized to do business therein, if the insurer has failed for thirty days after demand prior to the commencement of the action to make payment in accordance with the terms of the contract, and it appears to the court that such refusal was vexatious and without reasonable cause, the court may allow to the plaintiff a reasonable attorney fee and include such fee in any judgment that may be rendered in such action. Failure of an insurer to defend any such action shall be deemed prima facie evidence that its failure to make payment was vexatious and without reasonable cause.

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In any action against an unauthorized foreign or alien insurer upon a contract of insurance issued or delivered in this state to a resident thereof or to a corporation authorized to do business therein, if the insurer has failed for thirty days after demand prior to the commencement of the action to make payment in accordance with the terms of the contract, and it appears to the court that such refusal was vexatious and without reasonable cause, the court may allow to the plaintiff a reasonable attorney fee and include such fee in any judgment that may be rendered in such action. Failure of an insurer to defend any such action shall be deemed prima facie evidence that its failure to make payment was vexatious and without reasonable cause.