Amber Heard To Countersue Insurer Who Won’t Cover $8.3 Million She Owes Johnny Depp

When Johnny Depp launched a defamation suit against his former wife, Amber Heard, the actress lost and owes Depp $8.3 million in damages. However, she expected her insurer, New York Marine and General Insurance Co., to cover her losses. Meanwhile, Heard’s insurer states that it shouldn’t pay the money, as the jury found Amber committed “willful misconduct.”

Amber Heard’s insurer refuses payment

Amber Heard, 36, took out a $1 million policy with New York Marine and General Insurance Co. to cover her during the court case. Meanwhile, when the blockbuster trial ended, she was ordered to pay Johnny Depp $8.3 million in damages. When the Aquaman actress approached her insurer, the company argued that it should pay her, due to the fact that the jury found Amber committed “willful misconduct.”

Despite this, Heard argues that she had an “unconditional deal” with her insurer and that it should protect her, no matter what. She has now filed a lawsuit against the insurer behind her $1 million insurance policy, claiming the insurer should cover her losses in the trial. Reportedly, they won’t pay because they asked a judge to let them off the hook.

Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard

The court case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard was famously televised live, with millions of people tuning in to watch the proceedings. Throughout the trial, Depp’s lawyer kept constantly picking out inconsistencies in Amber’s side of the case.

The insurance company argues that due to the fact that the jury found Heard had committed willful misconduct in her claims against Depp, the company doesn’t have to fulfill the policy under California law.

TMZ acquired court documents in which Heard is arguing the opposite, claiming she struck an “unconditional deal” that protects her, no matter what. In her countersuit, Heard accuses the insurer of trying to turn their backs on their agreement. In fact, she says this was a “breach of contract.”

Meanwhile, this countersuit comes just weeks after Depp, 59, filed an appeal over the court’s verdict that he pays $2 million to Heard after the trial.

Travelers sues New York Marine

Reportedly, Travelers, who handle Amber’s homeowner’s policy, initially sued New York Marine in June 2021. They sued to gain reimbursement for half of what it spent in defending a client that turned out to be Heard. That homeowner’s policy covers “libel” of around $500,000, while New York Marine issued her a general liability policy for $1 million. Meanwhile, Heard has recently hired attorney Kirk Pasich to handle the situation on her behalf.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were married for just 15 months before they split in 2016. After Heard wrote an opinion piece for The Washington Post in 2018, claiming Depp had abused her, the Pirates of the Caribbean star sued her for $50 million for defamation. While she didn’t specifically name Depp in the article, she wrote that she is “a public figure representing domestic abuse.”