Gecaj v Gjonaj Realty & Mgt. Corp., 2017 NY Slip Op 03109
“While we concede that, generally, when a defendant provides the summons and complaint to its insurance broker, and the insurer, thereafter, fails to appoint counsel to appear in the action on behalf of defendant, this is considered to be a reasonable excuse (see generally Rodgers, 69 AD3d at 510-511) However, on the facts presented here, defendants did not establish a reasonable excuse for their default. An assertion by a defendant that it believed its insurer “was providing a defense is unsubstantiated and unreasonable in light of [the defendant’s] conceded receipt of the plaintiff’s motion for leave to enter a default judgment,” as receipt of such a motion puts the defendant on notice that the insurer has, in fact, not answered the complaint since the commencement of the action (Trepel v Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., 99 AD3d 789, 791 [2d Dept 2012]; see also Spitzer v Landau, 104 AD3d 936, 937 [2d Dept 2013] [finding that the defendant’s belief that the insurer was providing a defense was “unreasonable given that the defendant was served with the plaintiff’s motion for leave to enter a default judgment”]).”
**It is a very interesting discussion.
