Court Ruling — S.D.N.Y, 2025

**What Happened** The Cozarts had an insurance policy with USAA Casualty Insurance Company. They made a phone call to USAA on July 1, 2019, which they believed started an official insurance claim. However, USAA denied their coverage request, saying the Cozarts had waited too long to file a proper lawsuit. USAA pointed to a rule in the insurance policy that required any lawsuit to be filed within two years. The Cozarts disagreed and sued USAA for breaking their contract. **What the Court Decided** The court sided with USAA completely. The judge ruled that the July 2019 phone call did not count as an official insurance claim under the policy terms. The court also agreed that USAA was right to deny coverage because the Cozarts had missed the two-year deadline for filing a lawsuit. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows how important it is to understand the specific terms and deadlines in insurance policies. Workers should know that informal communication like phone calls may not officially start a claim process. Always follow the exact procedures outlined in your policy and pay close attention to time limits for filing claims or lawsuits.