Insurer Says It Owes No Coverage for Kansas City Super Bowl Parade Shooting Lawsuit

Cincinnati Specialty Underwriters (CSU) has filed a complaint asserting it has no obligation to defend or indemnify the Kansas City Sports Commission (KCSC) in a lawsuit arising from a mass shooting during the 2024 Super Bowl victory parade. According to CSU, the claims brought by shooting victims are barred under the policy’s assault and battery exclusion.

The incident, which occurred on February 14, 2024, in downtown Kansas City, resulted in one death and over 20 injuries. In June, several victims sued KCSC, the City of Kansas City, Union Station Kansas City, and others, citing negligence and a lack of adequate event security. The lawsuit alleges that organizers failed to implement sufficient safety and crowd control measures, despite having done so for similar large-scale events in the past.

CSU’s filing emphasizes that the special event commercial general liability policy it issued includes an assault and battery endorsement that explicitly excludes coverage for bodily injury claims resulting from a failure to prevent or suppress such incidents. The endorsement also bars coverage related to negligent supervision or training. The policy carried a $1 million per-occurrence limit and a $5 million aggregate limit, and named both the City and Union Station as additional insureds.

The underlying lawsuit continues, as CSU seeks a judicial ruling that it has no coverage obligation under the terms of the policy.