Restaurant seeks fast-track ruling on COVID-19 insurance coverage

A restaurant owner is asking the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to rule on whether Erie Insurance must provide coverage for business disruption caused by the COVID-19 shutdown. (Photo: Shutterstock.com)

A Pittsburgh restaurant that has been closed as a result of the COVID-19-related shutdown has asked the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to exercise its King’s Bench powers to wade into an ongoing dispute with its insurance carrier over whether the company must provide coverage for business interruption.

In a petition filed to the justices, attorneys for restaurant owner Joseph Tambellini said a ruling from the Supreme Court on the issue could provide guidance to the ”hundreds, if not thousands,” of lawsuits expected to result from the statewide closures Gov. Tom Wolf mandated to stem the spread of the highly contagious disease.