River Oaks insurer sued over Katy-area fire

An insurance company with offices in River Oaks is being sued after a fire destroyed property in Katy.

Harris County resident Ahmad Abousway and California resident Ibrahim Abousway filed a lawsuit on June 22 in Harris County District Court against American Risk Insurance Co., with offices in River Oaks, citing breach of contract, breach of common law duty of good faith and fair dealing, and violations of the Texas Insurance Code.

The plaintiffs say that American Risk Insurance failed to pay any of the benefits or conduct an adequate investigation when a fire destroyed the property it insured, located at 19731 Adelaide Meadows Drive in Katy. According to the brief, the defendant waited over 60 days to ask the plaintiffs to submit to a sworn examination under oath, and when Ibrahim Abousway flew from California to Houston to give the requested testimony, American Risks counsel refused to take it.

The plaintiffs are seeking actual, exemplary and punitive damages, as well as attorney’s fees and court costs. They are being represented in the case by Houston attorney Lesley Little.

Harris County District Court Case No. 2011-37143.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Harris County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.