Golf cart fire sparks lawsuit

The Longview Country Club is suing an insurer over damaged golf carts from a 2025 fire.

The case was originally filed in Cowlitz County Superior Court, but is now headed to federal court, where both sides are set to exchange evidence.

The country club argues in the suit that the carts should be covered under the "Blanket Building and Your Business Personal Property Coverage" of its insurance plan, which has a limit of about $6.4 million.

However, the club's insurer, American Fire and Casualty Company, capped the payout for the carts at $110,000.

The cost to replace the carts is at least $507,493.52, according to the suit.

About 80 golf carts were damaged after a building on the property caught fire following an explosion on Nov. 24, 2025.

American Fire and Casualty Company, which is headquartered in Boston, sent a letter to the Longview Country Club on Dec. 12, 2025, notifying them that the carts fall under a different part of their insurance called the "Commercial inland marine scheduled property floater," the suit states.

This policy covers items wherever they go, rather than being tied to a single location like the blanket policy.

The Longview Country Club's general manager told The Daily News immediately after the fire that the carts were owned by members, not the club.

The Longview Country Club also alleges that American Fire and Casualty Company failed to communicate in a timely fashion, failed to fulfill its obligations under its policy, and that it was forced to hire lawyers and its own experts to investigate the damages.

The country club is suing the insurance company for breach of contract, violation of the duty of good faith, constructive fraud, negligent claims handling, alleged unfair and deceptive practices, and injunctive relief. No monetary amount is specified in the suit, but the country club is asking the court to award it enhanced damages, undisclosed relief, and payment of its legal fees.

The Longview Country Club is represented by the Eugenebased law firm of Arnold Gallagher, PC, according to court records.

Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, which has an office in Portland, is representing the American Fire and Casualty Company.

The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 3 in Cowlitz County Superior Court, was transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in September because the company is in another state and over $75,000 is at stake.

A U.S. District Court judge has set the next two hearings for Oct. 26 and Nov. 9.

Matt Esnayra covers public safety for The Daily News.

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