Reno - Everest Indemnity Insurance Co. is on the hook for $4.5 million after a Nevada state court jury on Thursday said the insurer acted in bad faith by refusing to cover a construction company’s defense costs in an underlying class action stemming from an earthen levee collapse that caused the flooding of hundreds of homes.

Jurors deliberated for only a few hours before deciding that Everest had no basis for refusing to cover defense costs referred to them by Matthews Homes, which held a $2 million commercial general liability policy from the insurer, after Matthews was sued by a class of hundreds of homeowners claiming poorly designed drains exacerbated the effects of a 2008 flood.