Wis. Court: Acuity Mutual Liable for $1 Million in Damages to Symantec

Acuity Mutual Insurance is liable for nearly $1 million in damages a federal court ordered a Wisconsin business to pay Internet software company Symantec Corp.

That is the ruling Wednesday by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Cupertino, Calif.-based Symantec sued Wauwatosa-based UNIK Associates in 2004 in federal court in Oregon. UNIK buys software at discounted prices and sells it to businesses.

The federal court ruled that UNIK distributed unauthorized software and ordered it to pay Symantec nearly $960,000 in damages.

UNIK was insured by Acuity Mutual Insurance. The insurance company filed a state lawsuit saying it didn’t have to cover the company for the damages.

But the Supreme Court says UNIK’s policy covers the copyright and trademark infringement the federal court determined UNIK committed.