General Liability
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August 20, 2024
A Deep Dive Into Law360 Pulse's 2024 Women In Law Report
The legal industry continues to see incremental gains for female lawyers in private practice in the U.S., according to a Law360 Pulse analysis, with women now representing 40.6% of all attorneys and 51% of all associates.
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August 20, 2024
These Firms Have The Most Women In Equity Partnerships
The legal industry still has a long way to go before it can achieve gender parity at its upper levels. But these law firms are performing better than others in breaking the proverbial glass ceiling that prevents women from attaining leadership roles.
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August 20, 2024
Philadelphia, Insurer Settle Trans Firefighter's Surgery Suit
The city of Philadelphia, Independence Blue Cross and a firefighters union agreed to settle a transgender firefighter's suit claiming she was unlawfully denied coverage for facial feminization surgery, just weeks after a Pennsylvania federal judge refused to let the insurer out of the case.
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August 19, 2024
9th Circ. Partially Revives State Farm Car Value Class Action
A split Ninth Circuit panel partially revived a class action accusing State Farm of undervaluing policyholders' totaled vehicles when paying out claims, saying Monday that a Washington federal court abused its discretion in decertifying one of two classes based on a previous Ninth Circuit ruling.
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August 19, 2024
Canadian Insurer Secures Arbitration In Auto Accident Dispute
A Canadian man must arbitrate his dispute with a Canadian state-owned insurer over an underinsured motorist claim, a Hawaii federal judge ruled, finding that the man failed to prove that arbitration was precluded from being held in British Columbia.
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August 19, 2024
4th Circ. Cuts Liberty Loose In Medicare Reimbursement Row
A North Carolina widow can't revive a proposed class action accusing Liberty Mutual of failing to reimburse Medicare for her deceased husband's medical costs, the Fourth Circuit said Monday, finding she wasn't injured and therefore lacked standing to sue.
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August 19, 2024
Free Speech Group Says NY Official Must Face NRA's Suit
A former New York state official isn't immune from the National Rifle Association's suit claiming she violated the group's rights by pressuring financial institutions to cut ties with it, a free speech group told the Second Circuit on Monday, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in the dispute.
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August 16, 2024
Insurer Seeks Early Win In Faulty Home Construction Dispute
A construction company's insurer echoed its stance that its insured is not owed coverage for an underlying faulty workmanship lawsuit, telling a Georgia federal court that the defects alleged do not equate to property damage outside the contractor's own work, thus falling outside the policy's scope of coverage.
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August 15, 2024
Specialty Line Insurance Cases To Note: 2024 Midyear Report
The remainder of 2024 promises developments in several ongoing specialty line cases that can reshape bump-up exclusions in directors and officers policies, cyber coverage for loss mitigation costs and payment practices for defense costs.
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August 15, 2024
Harvard Late In Suing Broker For Tardy Admission Suit Notice
Harvard University was 13 months late in bringing breach of contract claims against its insurance broker for its belated notification to Zurich American Insurance Co. about an ultimately successful legal challenge that upended affirmative action in higher education, a Boston federal judge said Thursday.
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August 15, 2024
'Rise Of The Insurance Beast': Cases Take Over Colo. Courts
Colorado's chief U.S. magistrate judge told a room full of attorneys Thursday that insurance cases have started to dominate the court's dockets, comprising almost half the district's civil jury trials last year.
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August 15, 2024
Insurance Litigation Week In Review
The First and Third circuits asked state high courts to answer coverage questions, a Massachusetts state appeals court ruled on coverage for construction defects for the first time, the Second Circuit considered whether a letter constituted a claim and the Texas attorney general accused General Motors of misusing driver data.
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August 15, 2024
Calif. Virus Ruling Gives Clarity On Illusory Coverage
California policyholders were disappointed while the state's high court continued to rule in insurers' favor on pandemic coverage, but experts say the emphasized standard of proof as to when coverage is actually rendered illusory could be a beacon of clarity for insureds.
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August 15, 2024
No Coverage For Las Vegas Apartment Fire Suits, Judge Says
An excess insurer needn't cover the owners of a Las Vegas apartment building in underlying suits over a 2019 fire that left six people dead, a Nevada federal court ruled, saying the property was not a designated location under the policy.
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August 15, 2024
$1M Limit Applies For Motel Shooting, 4th Circ. Told
A man injured in a motel shooting told the Fourth Circuit that his potential insurance recovery under the motel's policy with a Travelers unit should be $1 million, arguing the shooting was an accident and thus fell outside an assault and battery endorsement's $100,000 sublimit.
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August 15, 2024
Texas Windstorm Insurer Strikes Balance With Rate Hike
A recent rate hike approved by Texas' windstorm insurer of last resort underscores the urgency of balancing the financial needs of both insurers and policyholders following damaging storms like Hurricane Beryl in an already strained property insurance market, experts say.
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August 15, 2024
Insurtechs Face Fewer Reg Roadblocks, Attorney Says
Tech innovators in the insurance industry are facing a more understanding and cooperative regulatory environment than they once dealt with, said an insurance attorney who helped steer an early mover in the arena of insurtech.
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August 14, 2024
Insurer Fights $29M Judgment Over Fatal Crash Coverage
An insurer urged a North Carolina state appeals court Wednesday to undo a nearly $29 million judgment in a lawsuit stemming from a claim for a fatal vehicle crash, citing a policy exclusion that barred coverage for injuries to fellow employees.
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August 14, 2024
Insurer Off Hook For Jury Award In Construction Dispute
A commercial insurer does not have to indemnify a contractor found liable for multiple structural and other problems in a home he built, a Massachusetts intermediate appellate court concluded Wednesday in a case of first impression involving what is considered "property damage" in a construction dispute.
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August 14, 2024
Mich. Court Stands By Unitary Biz Ruling For Nationwide
A Michigan state appeals court will not reconsider its decision that insurance companies that are part of Nationwide should file their taxes as a unitary group, and denied the state Treasury Department's request for reconsideration.
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August 13, 2024
Texas AG Targets General Motors Over Unlawful Data Sales
Texas' attorney general has escalated his probe into data privacy practices at connected car manufacturers, hitting General Motors with a lawsuit in state court Tuesday accusing the automaker of unlawfully gathering and selling drivers' private data — which would then be resold to insurance companies — without permission.
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August 13, 2024
1st Circ. Kicks UIM Coverage Battle To RI Justices
The First Circuit asked the Rhode Island Supreme Court to consider the extent an individual who is injured in an auto accident during the scope of their employment is entitled to underinsured motorist coverage under their employer's policy, saying "insurance law is notoriously complex and today's appeal proves that point."
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August 13, 2024
3rd Circ. Refers Sex Traffic Coverage Issues To Pa. Justices
The Third Circuit asked the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to consider whether an insurer's duty to defend and indemnify is repealed when an insured is accused of enabling or profiting from sex trafficking, telling Pennsylvania's high court that the decision has far-reaching state and public implications.
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August 13, 2024
Contractors Owe $7M For Iron Plant Fire, Insurer Says
An insurer for one of the world's largest steel producers told a Texas federal court that five companies it said were responsible for the design, manufacture, sale and installation of a failed component at an iron plant must foot the bill for a fire that cost the producer nearly $7 million.
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August 13, 2024
Ski Resort, Insurer End COVID Closure Suit Days Before Trial
Colorado ski resort company Alterra and its insurer agreed to settle a lawsuit over coverage for coronavirus pandemic shutdowns, shortly after a state judge limited Alterra's potential recovery to $1 million.
Expert Analysis
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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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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.
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How VA Court Change Is Affecting Insurance Disputes
The expansion of the Virginia Court of Appeals' jurisdiction to include review of decisions involving insurance coverage stands to significantly grow the body of related case law, likely to the benefit of policyholders, as evident in the recent decision in Bowman II v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Co., say Michael Levine and Olivia Bushman at Hunton.
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Ore. Insurance Ruling Opens Door To Extracontractual Claims
The Oregon Supreme Court's recent Moody v. Oregon Community Credit Union decision expanding an insurer's potential liability when adjusting life insurance policies exposes insurers to extracontractual tort liability, and the boundaries of this application will likely be tested through aggressive legal action, says Tessan Wess at GRSM50.
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Strict Duty To Indemnify Ruling Bucks Recent Trend
A South Carolina federal court's recent decision that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction to decide an insurer's duty to indemnify prior to the finding of insured liability sharply diverges from the more nuanced or multipronged standards established by multiple circuit courts, says Richard Mason at MasonADR.
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How Merck Settlement Can Inform Cyberinsurance Approach
This month's settlement in Merck v. ACE spotlights how cyber exclusions have evolved since the significant decision in the case — allowing for insurance coverage despite the presence of a policy war exclusion — and where else corporate risk managers may look for coverage in case of a cyberattack, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.
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What's In NY's Draft Guidance On AI Use In Insurance
Last week, the New York State Department of Financial Services released proposed guidance for insurers on the use of artificial intelligence systems and external consumer data and information sources for underwriting and pricing purposes, and these standards will likely help form the basis of an eventual nationwide insurance regulatory framework on AI, say attorneys at Sullivan & Cromwell.
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How States Vary On The Fireman's Rule And Its Applicability
A recent decision by the Indiana Court of Appeals, reviving a firefighter’s suit, is illustrative of changes in the application and interpretation by state courts and legislatures of the Fireman’s Rule, which bans first responders from recovering for injuries sustained on the job, says Shea Feagin at Swift Currie.
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Insured Takeaways From 10th Circ. Interrelated Claims Ruling
The Tenth Circuit's recent ruling in American Southwest Mortgage v. Continental Casualty that multiple claims arising from consecutive audit years were interrelated — and thus subject to a per claim limit — creates a concerning precedent for policyholders, so companies should negotiate relevant policy language, says Michael Stockalper at Saxe Doernberger.
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Protections May Exist For Cos. Affected By Red Sea Attacks
Companies whose ships or cargo have been affected by the evolving military conflict in the Red Sea, and the countries under whose flags those ships were traveling, may be able to seek redress through legal action against Yemen or Iran under certain international law mechanisms, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.
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Time To Step Up PFAS Due Diligence In Cross-Border M&A
Regulations in the U.S. and EU governing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances will likely evolve to become global standards out of necessity and scale, so PFAS due diligence — particularly for buyers, sellers, and lenders and investors involved in multijurisdictional mergers and acquisitions — will be essential in 2024, say attorneys at Shipman & Goodwin.
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3 Significant Ohio Insurance Updates From 2023
The past year saw some significant changes and developments in Ohio's insurance coverage landscape, from new bad faith discovery mechanisms relating to out-of-state property to the Ohio Supreme Court's interpretation of what constitutes an assault or battery for coverage purposes, say Jenna Pletcher and William Peseski at Brouse McDowell.
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Ill. Justices Set New Standard For Analyzing Defect Claims
The Illinois Supreme Court's recent ruling in Acuity v. M/I Homes of Chicago has effectively changed the landscape for how insurers may respond to construction defect claims in the state, so insurers should carefully focus their coverage analysis on whether the business risk exclusions are applicable, say Bevin Carroll and Julie Klein at Kennedys.