“Direct Financial Loss” Caused by Employee Defined
The First Department explained what “direct financial loss” means in the context of bonds issued to indemnify a commodities futures broker [MF Global] for loss caused by a wrongful act by an employee:
In the bonds, plaintiffs agreed to indemnify MF Global for losses “sustained at any time for . . . any wrongful act committed by any employee . . . which is committed . . . with the intent to obtain financial gain for [the employee]” (emphasis omitted). “Loss” means “the direct financial loss sustained by [MF Global] as a result of any single act, single omission or single event, or a series of related or continuous acts, omissions or events.” The bonds exclude coverage for “[i]ndirect or consequential loss.” A “[w]rongful act,” with respect to trading in commodities and futures, is defined as “any . . . dishonest . . . act committed with the intent to obtain improper financial gain for . . . an employee” … .. * * *
The motion court properly concluded that MF Global’s loss constituted a “direct financial loss.” Although that term is not defined in the bonds, “[a] direct loss for insurance purposes has been analogized with proximate cause”… …
Here, [a broker’s] conduct in making unauthorized trades beyond his margin was the direct and proximate cause of MF Global’s loss… . New Hampshire Ins Co v MF Global, 2013 NY Slip Op 05291, 1st Dept 7-16-13