Kevin Spacey Court Testimony Helps Insurer Defeat $100M Claim

A Los Angeles jury has ruled against production company MRC in its high-stakes insurance dispute tied to the fallout from House of Cards and its former star Kevin Spacey.

In a verdict delivered on March 24, 2026, jurors found that MRC failed to prove Spacey’s absence from the show was caused by a “covered illness.” The decision means MRC will not receive any of the up to $100 million it sought from its insurer, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company.

For years, MRC maintained that Spacey was removed from the series for violating workplace and anti-harassment policies. But in this case, the company changed its approach.

To qualify for an insurance payout, MRC argued that Spacey was medically unable to work due to conditions including “sexual compulsive behavior,” anxiety, and depression. The studio pointed to his stay at a rehab facility in Arizona as evidence of a qualifying illness.

MRC claimed it suffered immediate production losses of $29.5 million and sought up to $100 million in total damages.

Fireman’s Fund pushed back, arguing that Spacey’s exit was not due to a medical condition but rather the impact of public allegations and MRC’s own decision to protect the show’s reputation.

The insurer said the production shutdown and rewrite of the final season were business decisions, not the result of a covered health issue.

In a key moment during the trial, Spacey testified and contradicted MRC’s claims.

He told the court he disputed the diagnosis of sex addiction and suggested the rehab facility wanted to label him as such for publicity reasons. He also stated he was “available, willing, and able” to continue filming in 2017.

His testimony weakened MRC’s argument that he was medically unfit to work.

The verdict adds to the long-running legal and financial fallout tied to the show’s final season:

• In 2022, Spacey was ordered to pay MRC $31 million in arbitration.

• In 2024, that amount was reduced to $1 million in a settlement.

• Now, the insurer owes nothing following the latest jury decision.

The ruling suggests that conditions like “sex addiction” may not be considered standard production-halting illnesses under insurance policies—especially when reputational concerns play a major role in a performer’s removal.

For MRC, the outcome leaves the company absorbing the full financial loss tied to the reworked final season of House of Cards.