An insurer owes more than $790,000 for damage to a hotel roof during a winter storm and resulting water damage, a Colorado property owner alleged in a suit removed to federal court, saying the carrier unreasonably delayed and denied coverage.

In a complaint filed in Colorado state court in November and removed to federal court Monday, Lazier Tivoli LLC said Westfield Champion Insurance Co. breached the insurance policy and acted in bad faith by depriving the owner of the Tivoli Lodge in Vail, Colorado, of its available benefits.

"Defendant failed to issue any payment for the covered loss despite receiving satisfactory proof of damage," Lazier said. "Defendant unreasonably denied or failed to properly adjust the claim, attributing the damages to wear and tear, despite clear evidence to the contrary."

According to the complaint, the weight of ice and snow during a storm in August 2023 damaged the hotel's roof, allowing for water to enter the property and cause further damage. Lazier said a public adjuster inspected the property in June 2024 and estimated it would cost more than $791,000 to repair the damage.

The property owner said it submitted a claim under its property with Westfield, which provided up to $38.9 million in building coverage and $1.7 million in business personal property coverage, but the insurer failed to communicate with Lazier for months and still has not resolved the matter nearly two years later.

"Although defendant did send an engineer to inspect the property, defendant unreasonably refused to give meaningful consideration to plaintiff's estimate and failed to conduct a reasonable investigation into the scope and value of the claimed damages," Lazier said.

The property owner said Westfield should have known that its investigation and handling of the claim was inadequate, incomplete and otherwise inconsistent with industry standards and its obligations under Colorado law.

The insurer's conduct "resulted in a substantial delay of covered benefits to plaintiff without a reasonable basis," Lazier said, asserting that it is entitled to two times the covered benefits that have been delayed and denied, pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute Section 10-3-1116.

Representatives for the parties did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

Lazier is represented by Johnny R. Williams of The Morgan Law Group.

Westfield is represented by Jason D. Cooper of Freeman Mathis & Gary LLP

The case is Lazier Tivolli LLC v. Westfield Champion Insurance Co., case number 1:25-cv-03866, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado.