Richard Machado v. Narragansett Bay Insurance Company

Syllabus

The home of the plaintiffs, Richard Machado and Susan Machado, was insured by the defendant, Narragansett Bay Insurance Company (NBIC). In March of 2015, the Machados notified NBIC of water damage to their home, and they promptly submitted a claim to NBIC with respect to the damage. Shortly thereafter, they received from NBIC a check for $14,549.78 as compensation for the damage. The instant case arises out of a dispute as to whether the Machados, pursuant to their homeowners insurance policy with NBIC, were entitled to receive a subsequent appraisal of the damage to their property as well as additional compensation for said damage. The overriding legal issue was whether or not the Machados requested such an appraisal in a reasonably timely manner. The Supreme Court held that, because no genuine issues of material fact existed, the case was properly decided pursuant to a motion for summary judgment. Accordingly, the Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Superior Court.