Judge Denies Insurers’ Request in Quake Case

A Superior Court judge Thursday denied 20th Century Insurance’s motion to force an executive of a nonprofit earthquake consumer group to turn over a list of thousands of names of homeowners who had either attended its meetings or later joined the organization.

20th Century Insurance had asked George Kehrer, head of Community Assisting Recovery (CARe) in Northridge, to produce a list of its members, sign-up sheets and other documents relating to its group.

20th Century wanted the documents as part of its defense for a lawsuit filed by a couple who alleged the insurance company did not adequately pay them for asbestos damage in their home caused by the Northridge earthquake.

John and Wendy Moore, the couple who filed the asbestos suit, attended a CARe meeting. The couple’s attorney, Debra Wegman, says 20th Century believes the Moores were convinced by the CARe meeting that their home was damaged by asbestos.

But Judge William MacLaughlin in Van Nuys said Kehrer had denied any connection with the Moores’ case, and therefore denied 20th Century’s request.

Wegman said 20th Century wanted CARe’s membership list and other documents to use “as leverage” against policyholders with whom it was still having disputes, and that the list “would have had a chilling effect against the rights of insureds to meet together.”

Kehrer, an attorney who handled his own defense, said 20th Century’s request “is really mean-spirited and heartless.”

After the Northridge quake, CARe was set up to give advice on coping with the numerous legal and rebuilding issues confronting homeowners.

20th Century, headquartered in Woodland Hills, was hit with $1 billion in quake damage claims. Most of its quake claims have been settled, but some suits are still working their way to trial. The Moores’ case is set to begin in late March.

20th Century would not comment on the case.