Amber Heard insurance fiasco explained as company reportedly refuses to cover part of $8.3 million settlement to Johnny Depp

The Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial came to an end on June 1, 2022, with the jury ruling in the former’s favor and ordering Heard to pay the actor $8.35 million in damages.

Nearly a month after the verdict, TMZ revealed that Heard reportedly has a $1 million liability insurance policy with New York Marine and General Insurance Co., which she had hoped would cover a portion of the amount she was required to pay Depp.

As per the publication, the policy reportedly covers several types of wrongful conduct, including defamation. However, new reports suggest that the insurance company has allegedly refused to cover part of Heard’s damages bill.

The Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial began after Depp sued the latter for $50 million over her 2018 Washington Post article, where she referred to herself as a domestic abuse survivor.

Although the op-ed did not mention Depp’s name as the perpetrator, his legal team claimed that the story damaged the actor’s reputation and had a negative impact on his career.

Heard countersued Depp for $100 million and claimed that he had assaulted her on several occasions during their relationship. The high-profile trial began in the Fairfax County court in April 2022 and ended with the former winning the case.

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Why did NYMGI refuse to pay part of Amber Heard’s legal fees?

The New York Marine and General Insurance Co. has refused to pay part of Heard's defamation charges.

Although Heard had a $1 million liability policy, the company claimed that they are not bound to pay the amount under California Law if she committed wrongful “wilful” misconduct. Following the verdict, the company allegedly argued that Heard’s misconduct was not only “wilful” but also “malicious.”

Hence, the New York Marine and General Insurance Co. have now requested the judge to issue a declaration that states they are not bound to cover Heard's fees based on the legal terms of the policy.

As the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial came to an end, a seven-body Fairfax County Court jury ruled that Heard had defamed Depp through her Washington Post op-ed. They also asked the Aquaman star to pay nearly $15 million to her ex-husband in compensatory and punitive damages.

However, the total amount of the damages fee came down to $8.35 million as the $5 million punitive damage charges were cut down to $350,000, per the maximum limit allowed by Virginia Law.

Meanwhile, Heard was also awarded $2 million in her countersuit for winning one claim regarding Depp’s former lawyer Adam Waldman defaming the actress through his statements on her “abuse hoax” to the press.

Despite the reduction, Heard’s attorney Elaine Bredehoft said that the actress would not be able to pay the fees because of her financial troubles.

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Twitter reacts to insurance company’s alleged refusal to cover Amber Heard’s defamation fees

Social media users mocked Amber Heard after her insurance companu refused to cover part of her defamation fee (Image via Getty Images)

Amber Heard has continued to make the news even after her highly-publicized defamation trial with Johnny Depp came to an end.

The actress found herself in the middle of social media scrutiny once again as reports revealed that the New York Marine and General Insurance Co. has refused to partly cover the damages she owes to Johnny Depp.

Several social media users also took to Twitter to react to the situation:

As reactions continue to pour in online, it remains to be seen if Amber Heard will react to the suit filed by her insurance company in the days to come. Stay tuned for further updates.