Metallica Suing Insurer for Damages From Postponed 2020 Tour

Metallica are suing London-based insurance market Lloyd’s of London for damages from their postponed 2020 tour dates. There were a handful of shows they had booked in South America that were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to NBC Los Angeles, Lloyd’s of London has refused to compensate Metallica for the monetary losses they’ve endured as a result of having to postpone the tour.

The six-date run was set to take place in April of 2020 in Chile, Argentina and Brazil, and would have served as Metallica’s first set of shows since James Hetfield’s rehab stint in late 2019. Greta Van Fleet were set to be the opening act.

Prior to the tour, Metallica purchased a “cancellation, abandonment and non-appearance insurance” policy in case of any potential postponement or cancelations. Due to the worldwide lockdowns, the tour was postponed.

However, Lloyd’s of London cited the policy’s communicable disease exclusion and refused to reimburse the band for their losses “based on an unreasonably restrictive interpretation of the policy,” the suit reads.

The band filed the lawsuit Monday (June 7) at the Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming that Lloyd’s of London committed a breach of contract by denying them compensation, and they are seeking unspecified damages as a result.

Metallica have not yet announced the rescheduled dates for the South American tour. As of now, the only shows they have announced for 2021 are a few appearances at festivals in the fall. See the itinerary on their website.