Diana Reynolds-Stevens Plaintiff— v. Bankers Specialty Insurance Company Defendant—
June 8, 2026·25-30548·Per Curiam·By James Taylor
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Bankers Specialty Insurance Company. The court found that the plaintiff's claims were time-barred under the terms of the flood insurance policy.
Diana Reynolds-Stevens’s home was damaged by multiple hurricanes, leading her to file claims against her insurance provider, Bankers Specialty Insurance. After the district court granted summary judgment to the insurer, Reynolds-Stevens appealed.
The court’s reasoning
The court determined that Reynolds-Stevens’s claims were time-barred because she did not file suit within one year of the written denial of her claims. The court also noted that state law tort claims arising from claims handling by a Write-Your-Own Insurer are preempted by federal law.
What it means going forward
The ruling reinforces the importance of adhering to filing deadlines in insurance claims under the National Flood Insurance Program.
