Citizens Bank: U.S. District Court rejects contra proferentem reading of Financial Institution Bond in finding No Coverage for Forged USDA Guarantees
On November 16, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin released its decision in Citizens Bank Holding Inc. v. Atlantic Specialty Insurance Co. The Court held that forged business loan guarantees purportedly issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) did not qualify for indemnity under Insuring Agreements D or E of a Financial Institution Bond. The decision is notable in that it reaffirms the interpretive principle that the Bond is not to be interpreted contra proferentem, as it is a product of negotiation between the banking and fidelity insurance industries. The Facts Citizens Bank maintained