Expert Analysis

Insurer Spoliation Ruling Flags Continuing Duty To Preserve

An Illinois federal court’s recent decision to impose spoliation sanctions on the insurer in H.D. Smith v. Cincinn... (more story)

When And How To Use 4 Types Of Cross-Exam Questions

Perceptions of a great cross-examination are often shaped by aggressive courtroom exchanges, but to be truly effec... (more story)

Discovery Into Insurers' AI Use Should Stay Proportional

As insurers increasingly use artificial intelligence to make claim decisions, plaintiffs in first-party coverage l... (more story)

Property More

Insurance Archaeologist Unearths Old Policies For New Risks

Specialists known as insurance archaeologists search out old policies that may provide coverage for modern risks. Richard Janisch of Arcina Risk Group LLC spoke with Law360 Insurance Authority about legacy ins... (more story)

Insurance Litigation Week In Review

Two insurers don't owe coverage to a firearm retailer sued over its sale of ghost gun kits, a title insurer shouldn't be able to duck coverage for two mortgage lenders' wire fraud losses and an insurer doesn't... (more story)

Ohio Court Rejects Class Bid In State Farm Vehicle Value Row

An Ohio federal judge Tuesday rejected a driver's attempt to certify a class of policyholders in a case alleging State Farm underpaid the cash value of totaled vehicles, finding class treatment would be "inapp... (more story)

LA County Says State Farm Botched Fires Claims Handling

Los Angeles County on Monday accused State Farm of systemic violations of California consumer protection laws in its property insurance business and its handling of homeowners claims connected to the 2025 Pali... (more story)

Aon Buying KKR-Backed USI In $17B Middle-Market Push

Aon said Monday it has agreed to buy U.S. insurance broker USI from private equity firm KKR and other shareholders in a $17 billion deal that would expand the London-based insurer's presence in the U.S. middle... (more story)

La. Town Says 5th Circ. Insurance Decision Should Stand

A Louisiana town is pressing the U.S. Supreme Court to pass on reviewing a Fifth Circuit decision nixing an arbitration order in a dispute with its insurers over coverage for hurricane damage, calling the case... (more story)

Wash. Updates Auto, Home Claim Rules To Boost Clarity

Aaron VanTuyl, communications and media manager for public affairs at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, breaks down recently approved updates to state claims handling standards, which ... (more story)

Insurer Looks To Bifurcate $50M COVID Coverage Trial In NC

An insurer urged a North Carolina federal court to bifurcate an upcoming trial on claims that it improperly denied $50 million in coverage for an auto parts manufacturer's COVID-19 pandemic-related losses, arg... (more story)

Insurance Litigation Week In Review

An auto insurer needn't cover a pedestrian's hit-and-run injuries, excess carriers don't owe coverage for a $40 million settlement, a claims handler isn't entitled to coverage for a $7 million indemnification ... (more story)

Allstate Can't Ax Bad Faith Claim In Fire Dispute, Judge Says

An Allstate unit can't shake a claim that it acted in bad faith by denying a homeowner's fire damage claim, but need not face a claim that its conduct was grossly negligent and put the homeowner at risk of for... (more story)

General Liability More

8th Circ. Says Exclusion Bars Oil Well Blast Coverage

The Eighth Circuit said Thursday that an AIG unit does not owe $25 million to an ExxonMobil subsidiary for injury claims stemming from a 2016 oil and gas well explosion, finding the energy company did not meet... (more story)

Trisura Escapes Bad Faith Claim In $25M Wrongful Death Case

An Illinois federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a bad faith claim against an insurer in a coverage dispute over a $25 million default judgment in a wrongful death suit, finding the estate failed to allege tha... (more story)

Fla. Panel Nixes $1M Child Support Life Insurance Order

A Florida appellate panel on Wednesday reversed a decision requiring a father to have a $1 million life insurance policy to protect child support payments, finding a lower court did not determine if he could a... (more story)

Insurers Needn't Cover Retailer In 'Ghost Gun' Sale Suit

Two insurers have no duty to defend or indemnify a Missouri-based firearm retailer accused of contributing to gun violence by selling "ghost gun" kits, a New York federal court ruled, saying the underlying cla... (more story)

Cincinnati Insurance Beats Bid To Share $5M Injury Settlement

Cincinnati Insurance Co. needn't reimburse another insurer for any part of a $5.2 million judgment entered against their mutual insured, a Florida federal court ruled Tuesday, finding that the other carrier's ... (more story)

Final OK Sought For Over $73M Transamerica Policy Rate Deal

Policyholders asked an Iowa federal court Monday to give the final approval to a settlement they say is worth more than $73 million to resolve claims that Transamerica Life Insurance Co. improperly increased m... (more story)

Excess Insurer Must Cover Plumbing Co.'s Atty Fees

A New York federal court ordered an excess insurer to pay a plumbing company's legal fees months after finding that the carrier is required to provide coverage to the company for claims stemming from a Manhatt... (more story)

Geico Beats NJ Class Claims Over Total-Loss Valuations

A New Jersey federal judge on Friday dismissed class claims accusing Geico of underpaying the actual cash value of totaled vehicles, finding that a previous Third Circuit ruling made such disputes unsuitable f... (more story)

Truist Says Excess Insurers Owe For $240M Overdraft Deal

Truist Bank has launched counterclaims against a group of insurers who claim they don't owe coverage to the bank for a $240 million settlement of a consumer class action stemming from alleged overdraft charges... (more story)

Canadian Insurer Escapes Subpoena In NJ Malpractice Row

A New Jersey state judge nixed a subpoena served on a Canadian insurer, ruling that the court lacked jurisdiction to compel a foreign nonparty to produce documents or testimony in Canada in a legal malpractice... (more story)

Specialty Lines More

NJ Airport Operator Seeks PFAS Cleanup Coverage

A New Jersey airport operator has sued its pollution liability insurer to recover costs it incurred to remediate "forever chemical" contamination at one of its hangars in accordance with state environmental di... (more story)

Insurer Can't Dodge Wire Fraud Coverage, Ala. Judge Says

Lenders are entitled to coverage for losses from a closing agent falling victim to wire fraud in mortgage refinancing transactions, an Alabama magistrate judge said Monday, finding that an exclusion barring co... (more story)

Nuvo's $9.75M D&O Deal Ends US-Israel Bankruptcy Clash

Bankrupt pregnancy-technology firm Nuvo Group and an Israeli court-appointed trustee tasked with liquidating it reached an agreement that resolves their cross-border disputes by using a $9.75 million settlemen... (more story)

NM Court Trims County's Bid For Inmate Settlement Coverage

A New Mexico federal court rejected much of a county's suit against a mental health provider and its insurer in a dispute over whether they broke their indemnification duties by settling correctional facility ... (more story)

Insurer Can't Deny Benefits Over Age Error, Del. Judge Rules

A life insurer breached its duty by refusing to pay out death benefits under two $5 million policies to a wealth and investment management provider based on uncertainty over the insured's age, a Delaware feder... (more story)

What Kaiser's D&O Win Means For 'Return Of Funds' Fights

A California federal judge's ruling that the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan was not automatically prohibited from claiming coverage for multiplied damages that were part of a $581 million False Claims Act settl... (more story)

Bank Says Late Notice Fumbled Data Breach Insurance Claim

An insurance services company caused a Milford, Connecticut, bank to lose insurance coverage for a data breach that affected nearly 12,000 of its customers by failing to timely report it, the bank says in a We... (more story)

Insurer Slams $2M Fee Request In Arbitrator Removal Bid

An insurance exchange for the trucking industry has urged a New York federal judge to dismiss a request by reinsurers that the exchange pay roughly $2 million in attorney fees and costs in a fight over whether... (more story)

Geico Says NJ Top Court Upends 3rd Circ. Arbitration Ruling

Geico urged a New Jersey federal court to reject medical clinics' bid to dismiss remaining claims in a lawsuit alleging they fraudulently billed no-fault patients, saying that a recent state supreme court ruli... (more story)

Okla. Judge Keeps Malpractice Suit Over $92M Verdict Alive

An Oklahoma federal judge has refused to toss an insurer's malpractice suit against a law firm over a $92 million judgment in a dispute over apartment fire coverage.