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[MJackson News]

Insurer seeks to void policy for Jackson shows

LOS ANGELES – The insurer of Michael Jackson's canceled comeback concerts has asked a judge to nullify a policy intended to protect concert promoters if the singer wasn't able to complete the shows.

Lloyd's of London sued AEG Live and Jackson's company on Monday, claiming the concert promoter has failed to provide necessary medical information and details about the physician charged in the singer's death.

Lloyd's issued a non-appearance and concert cancellation policy in April 2009 — roughly two months before the pop superstar died. It was issued under an alias, "Mark Jones" and was supposed to cover up to $17.5 million in liability, according to the lawsuit.

The promoter should have informed Lloyd's what it knew about the singer's medical history, "including but not limited to, his apparent prescription drug use and/or drug addiction," the suit states.

Within days of the singer's death, an attorney for AEG submitted a claim with Jackson's death certificate, the suit claims.

The insurer states a medical exam of Jackson required by the policy was never conducted, and that they should not have to pay out for the canceled shows scheduled for London's O2 arena.

An email message seeking comment from AEG spokesman Michael Roth was not immediately returned.

Lloyd's lawsuit claims it has been seeking certain information from AEG about Jackson and his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, since December 2009.

Murray is scheduled to go on trial later this year for involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jackson's death. Authorities claim he administered a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol to Jackson in the bedroom of his rented mansion, although Murray has pleaded not guilty and his attorneys have said he did not give the singer anything that should have killed him.

The cost of canceling the London shows was one of the major debts facing Jackson's estate after his death.

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Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/celebritydocket




Source: AP

[MJackson News]

Michael Jackson concert insurers decline to pay out

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The insurers of Michael Jackson's ill-fated "This Is It" London comeback concerts have asked a judge to nullify a $17.5 million policy taken out by promoters, saying they were never told that the singer was taking powerful drugs.

Underwriters at Lloyds of London filed a lawsuit against AEG Live and Jackson's company in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, asking a judge to solve the insurance dispute almost two years after the "Thriller" singer's death.

Jackson, 50, died in Los Angeles on June 25 after rehearsing for the upcoming series of 50 concerts in London. Authorities said he died of a massive dose of the anesthetic propofol and a cocktail of other sedatives and painkillers.

Jackson's personal doctor is scheduled to stand trial in September on charges of giving the singer a fatal dose of propofol as a sleep aid.

The insurance policy was taken out to cover the cancellation or postponement of the London concerts in the case of the death, accident or illness of Jackson.

The lawsuit claimed that AEG, who hired Jackson's physician Dr. Conrad Murray, failed to disclose the singer's medical history to the insurers "including, but not limited to, his apparent prescription drug use and/or drug addiction."

The lawsuit further states that AEG or Jackson or his company knew but did not disclose that Jackson was taking propofol -- an anesthetic that is usually restricted to hospital use ahead of surgery.

It adds that attempts to resolve the dispute with AEG Live outside the courts have failed. "Underwriters therefore request that the policy be declared null and void."

AEG Live, which is privately held, did not return calls for comment on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant, editing by Christine Kearney)




Source: Reuters