Kanye West has justfiled a $10m (£7.6m) lawsuit against Lloyd’s of London insurers in a dispute over 21 cancelled tour dates last year.
The pop star and his tour company, Very Good Touring, claim insurers may not pay out because the cancellations were as a result of a medical condition caused by marijuana use – something West refutes, reports CityAM.
A number of Lloyd’s syndicates are being sued, including Lancashire Holdings subsidiary Cathedral, the Hollywood Reporter reported overnight.
Lloyd’s declined to comment on the specifics of the allegations but a spokesperson said: “Where an agreement cannot be reached, valid claims can only be paid on syndicates being satisfied that they have the information required to make any payment.”
Very Good Touring is also alleging breach of contract and also demanding interest payments in compensation.
West checked into a UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital Center in November, cancelling the final dates of his Saint Pablo Tour which was due to run until 31 December.
Lloyd’s insurers are known around the world for in writing policies to cover the cancellation of high-profile music tours.
A loss form was lodged with insurers within two days. Instead of instructing loss-adjusters to review the claim, the insurers drafted in lawyers, it is alleged.
Howard King, the legal counsel filing the court papers wrote: “They [have not] provided anything approaching a coherent explanation about why they have not paid, or any indication if they will ever pay or even make a coverage decision, implying that Kanye’s use of marijuana may provide them with the basis to deny the claim.”
The Lloyd’s of London spokesperson said: “The reputation of the market has been built on meeting our obligations quickly and effectively where a claim should be settled. In the last year alone we paid out over £14billion in claims.
