ST. LOUIS — An independent insurance agency is suing another insurance company, citing alleged trademark infringement and unfair competition.
A.I.G. Agency Inc. filed a complaint on May 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Eastern Division against American International Group Inc., doing business as AIG, alleging that the defendant violated the Lanham Act and made false or fraudulent registration.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that it has continuously used the A.I.G. mark in connection with its insurance business since at least 1962, compared to the defendant's trademark registrations in 1968. As the senior user of the AIG mark, the plaintiff claims it has been damaged due to defendant's alleged use of the marks that resulted in customers' confusion between them and the defendant, which provides the same services.
The plaintiff holds American International Group responsible because the defendant allegedly has used and will continue to use the plaintiff's mark in commerce without consent and has caused confusion and reverse confusion among consumers over the quality and source of the plaintiff's good and services.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks to change trade name to avoid confusion, payment for costs and disbursements, actual and punitive damages and for such other and further relief that the court deems just and proper. They are represented by Benjamin R. Askew and Anthony G. Simon of The Simon Law Firm PC in St. Louis and David B. Jinkins and Matthew A. Braunel of Thompson Coburn LLP in St. Louis.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Eastern Division Case number 4:17-cv-01502-JAR