The Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut v. Walking U Ranch, LLC

I. INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND

The history of this case is well-known to the parties and set forth in the Court’s March 10, 2022, order. See Dkt. 173. A. Procedural History On March 27, 2018, the Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut and Travelers Causality Insurance Company of America (collectively, “Travelers’”) filed the complaint in this action against Walking U Ranch, LLC, Kathleen P. March, Patrick F. Bright, and Does through 10, Inclusive, (collectively, “Ranch-March-Bright,” “RMB,” or “the Insureds”). Dkt. 1 (“Compl.”). Travelers insured Ranch-March-Bright under several Agribusiness Insurance Policies, including the primary insurance policy, No. 700-5F087056-TCT-17, (the “primary policy”), and the excess liability insurance policy, No. EX-5F087056-17-93, (the “excess policy”). Id. at 1,4. The Insureds were sued in Santa Barbara Superior Court, Case No. 17-CV-05630 (“the underlying action’), and Travelers agreed to defend the Insureds, while reserving its right to bring this action seeking declaratory relief that Travelers had no duty to defend the Insureds and seeking equitable rermbursement of all fees, costs, and expenses paid by Travelers to defend…