Ohio Supreme Court May 21, 1980, No. 79-652 (Centennial Insurance v. Liberty Mutual Insurance)

Paul W. Brown, J.

It is settled law in this state that an insurer owes a duty to exercise good faith in defending and settling claims against the insured and that a breach of that duty will give rise to a cause of action by the insured. Hart v. Republic Mut. Ins. Co. (1949), 152 Ohio St. 185; Slater v. Motorists Mut. Ins. Co. (1962), 174 Ohio St. 148.