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From left: Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath, Justin Baldoni, Steve Sarowitz and others at the It Ends With Us premiere in 2024 (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
Wayfarer Entertainment and its affiliated entities have filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against New York Marine and General insurance Co.and Lloyd’s of London,alleging wrongful denial of insurance coverage for legal defence costs. The suit, filed on July 30 in los Angeles Superior Court, stems from the ongoing legal battle involving actor Justin Baldoni and the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel, It Ends with Us.
The plaintiffs, including Wayfarer and IEWUM (It Ends With Us Movie), claim that New York Marine improperly denied coverage for the defense of Baldoni, Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath, and producer Steve Sarowitz in a lawsuit filed by Colleen Hoover. According to the complaint, Wayfarer and IEWUM have been covering the legal expenses for baldoni, Heath, and Sarowitz in the Lively lawsuit and are seeking reimbursement for these incurred costs.
The legal action details that on July 28, 2025, the Insureds’ counsel responded to New York Marine’s May 15, 2025, letter, which had denied coverage. The response aimed to explain why the denial was incorrect and requested that New York marine withdraw its denial,agree to defend the Insureds,and cover the attorneys’ fees and costs already incurred and continuing to be incurred in the defense of the Lively Lawsuit. As of the filing date,New York Marine had not assumed its duty to defend.
Representatives for Baldoni and Wayfarer, and also New York Marine’s parent company, have not yet responded to requests for comment. Spokespeople for Colleen Hoover and her legal team have also declined to comment on the latest legal development.
The nine-claim complaint does not specify the exact financial amounts sought. However, the protracted legal dispute, which began in December 2024, involves multiple defendants, including Colleen Hoover, Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times.The ongoing litigation is highly likely placing a significant financial burden on all parties involved, including the well-resourced Steve Sarowitz.
It is noteworthy that Bryan freedman,a prominent Hollywood litigator,is not representing Team Wayfarer in this specific lawsuit against New York Marine and other insurers. Rather, McGuireWoods LLP is handling the legal proceedings. The case is expected to continue in the west Coast court system, with the main case involving Colleen Hoover and Justin Baldoni scheduled for a hearing before Judge Lewis Liman in an East Coast courtroom on March 9.
Additional Details:
- Specific Insurers Involved: New York Marine and General Insurance Co. and Lloyd’s of London.
- Date of New York Marine’s Denial Letter: May 15, 2025.
- Date of Insureds’ Response: July 2