Specialty Lines
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February 27, 2025
Insurance Litigation Week In Review
New York's insurance regulator imposed over $20 million in fines against auto insurers, the Eighth Circuit found that a Missouri law barred an insurer's $60 million asbestos coverage suit and the Tenth Circuit affirmed that AIG doesn't owe coverage to a Colorado ski resort's homeowners association.
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February 25, 2025
Fla. Bill Targets Last-Resort Coverage For Unsafe Condos
A bill introduced ahead of Florida's 2025 legislative session looks to bar the state's Citizens Property Insurance Corp. from providing or renewing coverage policies for condominiums that fall short of inspection requirements.
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February 24, 2025
Insurer Won't Have To Cover Sports CEO's Child Sex Suits
An insurance company doesn't have to defend the former leader of a sports equipment company against allegations of sexual assault against minors, a Washington federal court said Monday, making final an earlier ruling that said the policies offered no conceivable coverage.
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February 24, 2025
Lloyd's Says Cadwalader's Suit Claims Nonexistent Tort
A Lloyd's of London syndicate has urged a North Carolina judge to toss part of Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP's coverage lawsuit stemming from a data breach, saying there's no tort remedy for the allegation that the insurer exposed the firm's confidential information in a court filing.
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February 24, 2025
Insurer Needn't Cover Hospital's $2.5M Virus Vax Probe Costs
A Chubb unit has no obligation to pay an Illinois hospital for $2.5 million in legal costs associated with responding to federal and state probes into its COVID-19 vaccine distribution program, a federal court ruled, finding that the policy's $1 million regulatory claims sublimit applies.
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February 21, 2025
NJ High Court Takes Up Pharma Co. Fraud Coverage Row
The New Jersey Supreme Court will review an appeals court's ruling against indemnification in a case of first impression on the applicability of an exclusion barring directors and officers coverage for wrongful acts "in any way involving" an insured's work for an uninsured entity, the high court announced.
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February 21, 2025
Morgan Lewis Adds Partner To Insurance Recovery Practice
Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP announced that it has added a new partner and insurance expert in its Chicago office, in a move to bolster the firm's insurance recovery and dispute resolution capabilities for corporate policyholder clients.
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February 20, 2025
Trump's Anti-DEI Orders Stress Existing D&O Insurance Risks
President Donald Trump's executive orders targeting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in government and the private sector are putting pressure on companies and insurers, threatening to strain directors and officers policies that were already stressed by a mounting backlash to DEI programs.
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February 20, 2025
Insurer Can't Quickly Exit Broker Premium Theft Row
A Louisiana federal court rejected most arguments made by an insurer seeking to avoid professional liability coverage of a broker whose former employee stole policy premiums and failed to secure insurance for clients, leaving the company to cover around $1 million in Hurricane Laura damage.
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February 20, 2025
Calif. Subrogation Bill Sets Insurers Against Oil Cos.
A California bill that would incentivize insurers to recoup disaster losses from oil and gas companies is being hailed by supporters as a novel way to hold large polluters accountable for climate change, but carrier attorneys say the bill is full of cost-drivers.
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February 20, 2025
9th Circ. OKs Bar On Ponzi Scam Suits Against Chicago Title
The Ninth Circuit on Thursday upheld a ruling barring further litigation against Chicago Title and law firm Nossaman LLP over claims they aided convicted businesswoman Gina Champion-Cain's nearly $400 million liquor-licensing loan Ponzi scheme, finding the litigation bar is necessary to protect the ongoing U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission-appointed receivership.
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February 20, 2025
Del. Judge Nixes Two Insurers In Cheer Abuse Coverage Row
A Delaware state court dismissed two insurers in a coverage dispute over underlying sexual abuse claims against a clothing retailer that also sponsors and organizes national cheerleading competitions, finding while the state's "long-arm statute" supports exercising jurisdiction over the insurers, doing so would violate their due process rights.
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February 20, 2025
NFIP Flood Claim Borrowing Raises Viability Concerns
FEMA's recent announcement that it was borrowing $2 billion from the U.S. Treasury to pay National Flood Insurance Program claims related to Hurricanes Helene and Milton emphasizes the insurance program's need for reform amidst threats of agency cuts under the Trump administration, experts say.
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February 20, 2025
Excess Insurer Needn't Cover Ga. Shooting Suit, Judge Rules
An excess insurer has no duty to defend or indemnify a property owner and manager in a suit over a fatal shooting at an apartment complex, a Georgia federal court ruled, finding that the insureds did not provide timely notice of the incident or lawsuit.
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February 19, 2025
Insurers Must Cover Soybean Loss, NY Appeals Court Affirms
A commodities trading company is entitled to coverage for the loss of over 500,000 bushels of soybeans resulting from a Mississippi-based warehouse's entrance into bankruptcy, a New York state appeals court affirmed.
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February 19, 2025
Insurer Must Cover Trucking Co. In Fatal Fire Row, Judge Says
A trucking company's insurer cannot rely on a hydrofracking exclusion to avoid covering an underlying suit over a fire at a saltwater disposal facility that killed one of the company's employees, a Texas federal court ruled, rejecting the insurer's request for a new trial.
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February 18, 2025
Calif. Insurance Chief Asks State Farm To Justify Rate Hikes
California's insurance commissioner asked State Farm General Insurance Co. to appear for an in-person "informal conference" later this month over its request for emergency rate hikes in the wake of the deadly Los Angeles wildfires in January, saying the insurer has not yet justified the move.
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February 18, 2025
Firm Says Insurer Refused To Repay It For $1.5M Cyber Theft
A law firm claimed its cyber insurer refused to reimburse it after hackers allegedly stole more than $1.5 million that was supposed to go to an attorney who had teamed up with the firm on a personal injury case.
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February 14, 2025
Insurers Say Del. Ruling Caps Redstone, NAI Coverage
Four insurers for National Amusements Inc. and Shari Redstone are pointing to a recent Delaware Supreme Court ruling as supporting their claim that common, underlying wrongful acts bar two separate multimillion-dollar coverage claims for litigation costs in 2016 and 2019 focused on control of CBS and Viacom.
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February 14, 2025
Insurer Can Proceed With Miami Retaliation Coverage Dispute
A Florida federal court partially rejected on Friday a magistrate judge's dismissal recommendations in a dispute between the city of Miami and an insurer over coverage for underlying lawsuits that allege political retaliation, allowing the parties to litigate the insurer's potential duty to defend.
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February 14, 2025
Smithfield Fires Back At 'Improper' CLO Deposition Bid
Smithfield Foods Inc. urged North Carolina's Business Court not to let a Chubb unit depose the pork producer's legal chief, calling the insurer's motion from last week an "improper and untimely attempt to seek discovery that Ace could have pursued before the fact discovery deadline."
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February 14, 2025
Calif. Insurance Chief Backs Wildfire Mitigation, Recovery Bills
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced his support Friday for a slew of bills aimed at addressing wildfire mitigation and recovery, including measures to maximize insurance claim payouts and stabilize the state's insurer of last resort.
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February 14, 2025
Nonprofit Not Covered For Palestine Protest Suit, Insurer Says
An insurer said it has no duty to defend or indemnify a social justice organization against a proposed class action concerning a Chicago protest in support of Palestine, telling a New York federal court the allegations against the Westchester County foundation don't fall within its policies' scopes of coverage.
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February 13, 2025
Blake Lively Defamation Suits Bring Insurance Center Stage
A stream of defamation lawsuits stemming from the movie "It Ends With Us" could have insurers gearing up to determine potential coverage obligations for such litigation, as the debate over settling versus going to trial marks a gap in the insurer-insured relationship for celebrity policyholders, experts say.
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February 13, 2025
UnitedHealth Can't Escape All Claims In AI Denial Suit
A Minnesota federal judge Thursday allowed Medicare Advantage patients and the estates of deceased enrollees to pursue breach of contract claims against UnitedHealth over its alleged use of AI to override physician recommendations, finding they are not preempted by the Medicare Act, but tossed others by holding they are preempted.
Expert Analysis
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Why RWI Insurers Should Consider Excluding PFAS
As regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances escalates, carriers providing representations and warranties insurance should reconsider providing PFAS coverage on a case-by-case basis, say Dave Bartoletti and Ina Avalon at Taft Stettinius.
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Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Âé¶¹´«Ã½yer
Beyond getting experience thinking on my feet and tackling stressful situations, the skills I've gained from horseback riding have considerable overlap with the skills used to practice law, particularly in terms of team building, continuing education, and making an effort to reset and recharge, says Kerry Irwin at Moore & Van Allen.
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Top 10 Queries For Insurers Entering Surplus Lines Market
John Emmanuel at Locke Lord discusses what insurers should understand before entering into the surplus lines market, a growing, state-regulated area, subject to much variation in application and enforcement.
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Sorting Circuit Split On Foreign Arbitration Treaty's Authority
A circuit court split over whether the New York Convention supersedes state law barring arbitration in certain disputes — a frequent issue in insurance matters — has left lower courts to rely on conflicting decisions, but the doctrine of self-executing treaties makes it clear that the convention overrules state law, says Gary Shaw at Pillsbury.
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What New Conn. Insurance Bulletin Means For Data And AI
A recent bulletin from the Connecticut Insurance Department concerning insurers' usage of artificial intelligence systems appears consistent with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' gradual shift away from focusing on big data, and may potentially protect insurers from looming state requirements despite a burdensome framework, say attorneys at Day Pitney.Â
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High Court Should Maintain Insurer Neutrality In Bankruptcy
While a recent Âé¶¹´«Ã½360 guest article argues that the U.S. Supreme Court should endorse insurer standing in Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Gypsum, doing so would create a playground for mischief and delay, and the high court should instead uphold insurance neutrality, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.
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Spartan Arbitration Tactics Against Well-Funded Opponents
Like the ancient Spartans who held off a numerically superior Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae, trial attorneys and clients faced with arbitration against an opponent with a bigger war chest can take a strategic approach to create a pass to victory, say Kostas Katsiris and Benjamin Argyle at Venable.
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What 2 Years Of Ukraine-Russia Conflict Can Teach Cos.
A few key legal lessons for the global business community since Russia's invasion of Ukraine could help protect global commerce in times of future conflict, including how to respond to disparate trade restrictions and sanctions, navigate war-related contract disputes, and protect against heightened cybersecurity risks, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Cos. Seeking Cyber Coverage Can Look To Key Policy Terms
As cyberattacks increasingly threaten business operations, including one last month that partially paralyzed UnitedHealth's services, expanded interpretations of several key policy terms may allow affected companies to recover under cyber business interruption policies or other coverage, even if their business hasn't completely shut down, say attorneys at Kasowitz.
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Insurance Industry Asbestos Reserve Estimates Are Unreliable
Insurance regulators rely on industry self-reporting in approving insurance company reorganizations, but AM Best data reveals that actuarial and audit estimates have been setting perniciously low levels of loss reserves for asbestos liabilities and thus should be treated with deep skepticism, says Jonathan Terrell at KCIC.
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Insurance Implications Of Trump's NY Civil Fraud Verdict
A New York state trial court’s $450 million judgment against former President Donald Trump and affiliated entities for valuation fraud offers several important lessons for companies seeking to obtain directors and officers insurance, including the consequences of fraudulent misrepresentations and critical areas of underwriting risk, says Kevin LaCroix at RT ProExec.
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Understanding Insurance Is Key To Limiting Antitrust Liability
As regulators signal their intent to continue last year's aggressive campaign of corporate antitrust litigation, businesses must make active management of their liability insurance policies, along with a firm knowledge of the limits of their coverage, central to their strategies for limiting the enormous financial risks of enforcement, say attorneys at Nossaman.
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High Court Should Endorse Insurer Standing In Bankruptcy
In Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Gypsum, the U.S. Supreme Court will examine bankruptcy standing doctrine as applied to insurers in mass tort cases, and should use the opportunity to eliminate spurious standing roadblocks to resolving insurer objections on their merits, says Frank Perch at White and Williams.