Harvey Weinstein wants jurors to decide whether Chubb Ltd. and other insurers are acting in “bad faith” by refusing to pay to defend him against nearly a dozen lawsuits accusing him of assaulting or sexually harassing women over a period stretching four decades, Bloomberg News reported. Weinstein’s lawyers said in court filings yesterday that they want an eight-day trial in federal court in Manhattan on the issue of insurers’ refusals to pick up the tab for his defense under policies that exclude coverage for “sexual molestation.” A trial date hasn’t been set. Chubb, based in Zurich, filed a countersuit against Weinstein and said it won’t be paying him to defend against the women’s allegations. Karyn Faggello, A U.S.-based spokeswoman for the company, didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the insurance dispute sent after normal business hours. Weinstein, whose studio sought bankruptcy protection in the wake of the scandal, was arrested in Manhattan in May on rape charges and released after posting $1 million bail and surrendering his passport. He denied the charges. That same month, his Weinstein Co. was sold to Lantern Entertainment in a deal worth about $437 million.
