Chubb Seeks Ruling It Does Not Have to Defend eBay in Harassment Case

A Chubb Ltd. unit is seeking a court’s declaration it does not have to defend or indemnify eBay Inc. and former officials and employees in connection with the harassment of a Massachusetts couple.

Seven former eBay workers were criminally charged in 2020 with harassing David and Ina Steiner, who co-authored a newsletter, by arranging anonymous messages that included a bloody pig mask and live insects.

They did so after two top executives expressed frustration with the newsletter, according to prosecutors and a lawsuit filed by the company against San Jose-based eBay.

Chubb unit Ace Property & Casualty Insurance Co. had issued a series of commercial umbrella liability policies to eBay with policy periods for October 2015 to October 2021, according to the lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court in San Jose in ACE Property & Casualty Insurance Co. vs. eBay Inc. et al.