The news of the settlement made by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston contains a puzzling issue:
Father Coyne said that some of the $85 million for the settlement would come from the sale of up to 15 church properties. But most of it will come from church insurance policies. Church officials have said that Archbishop O’Malley will sue the insurance companies, if necessary.
Why should insurance companies reimburse the church for a civil suit arising out of their own criminal conduct? Don’t policies usually exclude that sort of thing? For example, I’m pretty sure one can’t kill one’s spouse and then collect the life insurance benefits.
I welcome comments from people with expertise on this issue.
