OLG Schleswig - Limitation of liability claim in case of direct claim in D&O insurance

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OLG Schleswig: Limitation of the liability claim
in the case of a direct claim in the D&O insurance.

There is a new, exciting ruling from the world of D&O insurance. We recently reported on the decision of the Higher Regional Court of Cologne in the context of direct action. Now the Higher Regional Court of Schleswig has also made a groundbreaking decision.

What was it about? The focus was on the question of the statute of limitations. However, it must be borne in mind that the question of the limitation period in D&O claims is not trivial. On the one hand, there is the original claim for damages (statutory directors' and officers' liability separate from the D&O insurance) as well as a claim under cover law that arises between the parties - insurer, insured persons and insured companies - due to the conclusion of the D&O insurance. Now both the claim for damages and the contractual claims under the D&O insurance can become time-barred. If the limitation period for the claim under cover law is now suspended by filing a direct claim or a direct action with the insurer, what does this mean for the necessary liability claim? Can an insurer release itself from liability in this case if the claim is already time-barred? The decision of the Higher Regional Court of Schleswig has now clarified this question.

Zum Hintergrund: Ein Brand in einer Bäckerei verursachte einen erheblichen Schaden, von dem die Feuerversicherung, berechtigterweise aufgrund der Vertragsbedingungen, nur einen Teil übernahm. (Hinweis: Daher empfehlen wir, die Versicherungssummen sowie die inhaltliche Gestaltung des Versicherungsschutzes regelmäßig zu dokumentieren und zu überprüfen.) Der Betreiber der Bäckerei machte den Restschaden geltend, indem er den Geschäftsführer wegen Pflichtverletzung verantwortlich machte. Infolgedessen trat der Geschäftsführer seinen Freistellungsanspruch aus der D&O-Versicherung an die Gesellschaft ab (siehe dazu die beigefügte Grafik). Eine D&O-Versicherung deckt üblicherweise Führungskräfte eines Unternehmens ab. Im Schadensfall müssen Ansprüche zunächst gegenüber der versicherten Person geltend gemacht werden, bevor sie gegen den Versicherer durchgesetzt werden können. Dies resultiert oft in komplexen und zeitaufwändigen Haftungs- und Deckungsrechtsstreitigkeiten. In der Praxis wird der Streit immer häufiger in einem Direktprozess geführt, durch das Abtreten des Freistellungsanspruchs der versicherten Person an die Versicherungsnehmerin. Dadurch kann die Versicherungsnehmerin ihre Ansprüche direkt gegen den Versicherer geltend machen. Zur Entscheidung: Das OLG Schleswig hat in seinem Urteil vom 26.02.2024 (Az. 16 U 93/23) festgehalten, dass durch diese Abtretung des Freistellungsanspruchs eine “Waffenstillstandsvereinbarung” (pactum de non petendo) implizit geschlossen wurde. Diese Vereinbarung verhindert einen Haftungsprozess gegen den Geschäftsführer, solange der Anspruch gegen den Versicherer besteht, und hemmt die Verjährung der gesetzlichen Haftungsansprüche. Die deckungsrechtliche Hemmung durch Einreichung einer Direktklage oder eines Direktanspruches beim Versicherer hemmt also ebenfalls die gesetzliche Verjährung.

The ruling by the Higher Regional Court of Schleswig fundamentally strengthens the position of companies that wish to take direct action against their D&O insurers. It deprives insurers of a further opportunity to reject claims without an indemnification. This makes it more attractive to take direct action against the D&O insurer rather than against the responsible managers. In addition to the transfer of control by the manager concerned, especially in the case of an assignment on account of performance in accordance with section 364(2) of the German Civil Code (BGB), there are other aspects to consider. These include, for example, the effects on public limited companies under the strict AG regime and, in principle, the disadvantages associated with the "direct action", such as contractual insurance obligations in the event of a claim. For this reason, Risk Partners will continue to closely monitor developments relating to direct action on behalf of our clients. We at Risk Partners will stay on the ball for you.

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