Panel Sides With Diocese In Dispute With Insurer Over Tornado Damage To School

An arbitration panel has sided with the Springfield Roman Catholic Diocese in a dispute with its’ insurance company over the damage done to Springfield’s only catholic high school by the June 1, 2011 tornado.

Cathedral High School in Springfield, MA was damaged by the June 1,2011 tornado.

Credit WAMC

The panel, by a 2 to one vote put the replacement cost for Cathedral High School and the Saint Michael’s Academy Middle School at almost $ 49 million.  The insurance company, Catholic Mutual, had proposed a settlement totaling less than $18 million to cover the tornado damage.  A spokesman for the diocese, Mark Dupont, said the decision is not binding on the insurance carrier.

Since the tornado 25  months ago , the city’s only  Catholic high school has held classes in a leased former elementary school in the town of Wilbraham.