Property

  • September 05, 2024

    Poor Communities Least Insured, Congressional Analyst Says

    Flood risk in the United States is understated by official maps, and lower income communities have less insurance protection for greater risk — two problems that come as threats to U.S. housing grow, a congressional budget analyst said Thursday.

  • September 05, 2024

    3rd Circ. Relieves Insurer Of Additional UIM Coverage

    The Third Circuit reversed an early win a lower court handed to a couple whose son suffered serious injuries in a motorized dirt bike accident, finding that the couple's insurer needn't pay an additional $250,000 under another household policy because of the policy's household vehicle exclusion.

  • September 05, 2024

    Notable D&O Rulings Of 2024 So Far

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s corporate disclosure ruling, a California federal court’s take on advancement of subpoena-related defense costs and conflicting Delaware state court decisions on the enforcement of no-action clauses have set up 2024 as a big year for director and officer coverage rulings. Here, Law360 looks at five notable D&O rulings from the year so far.

  • September 05, 2024

    Insurers Face Divided Regulator Response To AI Use Risks

    Insurers are increasingly exploring methods for implementing artificial intelligence systems, and regulators across the United States are taking a variety of approaches to address concerns that such systems may exploit personal information or unfairly discriminate against consumers. Here, Law360 consults state insurance agencies to map out the insurer AI guidance landscape.

  • September 05, 2024

    'Regrettable Mistake' Can't Bar Subrogation Bid, Insurer Says

    An insurer for a Hardee's restaurant urged a North Carolina state appeals court to revive its subrogation action over a December 2019 fire, after it said its counsel made a "regrettable mistake" in naming a related brokerage as the plaintiff rather than the insurer itself.

  • September 05, 2024

    Insurance Litigation Week In Review

    The Fifth Circuit declined to revive a proposed global settlement related to the 2010 BP oil spill, a Hawaii federal judge determined a coverage dispute stemming from the 2023 Maui wildfires belonged in state court, and an Aon unit sought at least $140 million in damages from a Chinese bank.

  • September 05, 2024

    Mound Cotton Brings On Litigation Duo In Fort Lauderdale

    Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass LLP, which represents insurance companies, secured a pair of new partners for its Fort Lauderdale, Florida, office, one from Zelle LLP and another from Kelley Kronenberg.

  • September 04, 2024

    Nonsolicits Don't Need Geographic Terms, Ga. Justices Say

    The Supreme Court of Georgia said on Wednesday that restrictive covenants don't need to contain an explicit territorial component for them to be deemed reasonable under state law, reviving a marketing organization's attempt to enforce a nonsolicitation provision in its contracts with independent agents.

  • September 04, 2024

    Turning Tides: Real Estate's Impending Insurance Crisis

    Climate risk, once an abstract concept, is now a stark reality in the real estate industry as damage from stronger and more frequent weather events portends a drastic correction in the property insurance market. This new series explores state and local government efforts, shifting investor behavior, and home-buying trends as the climate-driven insurance crisis bubbles to the surface.

  • September 04, 2024

    NC Brewery, Broker Settle Flood Coverage Row

    A North Carolina brewery and its insurance broker have reached an agreement in a dispute over flood coverage mere days before the action was set to go to trial, according to a notice filed in federal court, moving the case toward dismissal.

  • September 04, 2024

    Insurer Must Cover Woman's Fire Claim, Wash. Panel Says

    An insurer must cover a woman's claim for damage to her former home after she was assaulted and set on fire by her ex-husband, a Washington state appeals court ruled, finding that a domestic abuse exception to the policy's intentional loss exclusion applies.

  • September 03, 2024

    5th Circ. Won't Revive BP Spill Malpractice Settlement

    The Fifth Circuit will not take another look at a proposed global settlement over accusations that attorneys botched Louisiana residents' claims following the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, issuing an order on Tuesday denying residents' bids for an en banc hearing to revive the settlement that a Fifth Circuit panel overturned in August.

  • August 30, 2024

    Condo Board Coverage Suit Over Maui Wildfire Gets Tossed

    A Hawaii federal judge tossed an insurer's suit seeking to avoid representing a condo association and property manager after owners sent a letter blaming the association for illegally having insufficient insurance before the 2023 Maui wildfires decimated Lahaina, concluding matters were best left to Hawaii state court.

  • August 30, 2024

    Insurers Say Honda, Dealership Owe $1M For Auto Fire

    Insurers for a homeowners association and two residents told a New York federal court that Honda and a local dealership must foot the bill for a 2021 vehicle fire that caused property damage and "additional expenses" totaling over $1 million.

  • August 29, 2024

    Insurer's $20M Tribal Loan Claim Goes To Fed. Claims Court

    An Ohio federal judge has transferred a challenge to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland over the agency's cancellation of a $20 million tribal loan guarantee to Federal Claims Court, arguing this week that the sole alternative of an outright dismissal would be detrimental to the interests of justice and judicial economy.

  • August 29, 2024

    Panel Tosses Insurer Dispute Over Drowning Death Coverage

    It's too early to determine whether Farmers Insurance Exchange and Cincinnati Insurance Co. must both provide excess coverage to a property manager facing potential liability for a drowning, a Texas state appeals court ruled Thursday, finding the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction.

  • August 29, 2024

    DOJ Whistleblower Program Could Prompt D&O Policy Review

    The U.S. Department of Justice's rollout of its new corporate whistleblower program should spur policyholders to examine their directors and officers insurance policies for potential gaps and consider alternative options to supplement coverage for the company, experts said.

  • August 29, 2024

    Building Codes Key Part Of Mitigating Insurance Risks

    Property and casualty insurers have highlighted resilient building as a way to address burgeoning property risk, but experts told Law360 the government alone cannot be expected to improve insurance outcomes without engagement from state and local jurisdictions and private organizations on issues like building codes and federal grants.

  • August 29, 2024

    Aon Unit Accuses Chinese Bank Of $2.8B Reinsurance Fraud​​​​​​​

    An Aon PLC subsidiary has accused one of China's largest banks in New York state court of helping a now-bankrupt insurtech company engage in a multibillion-dollar scheme to defraud the subsidiary and cedent insurers in reinsurance transactions, seeking to recover at least $140 million in lost premiums from the bank.

  • August 29, 2024

    Insurance Litigation Week In Review

    AmWay kept a $37 million win despite a Sixth Circuit split, Georgia's appeals court opened ride-sharing service insurers up to claims, SXSW settled its COVID-19 cancellation dispute, and a store sought coverage for a civil conspiracy suit related to a death caused by the son and eventual murder victim of killer attorney Alex Murdaugh.

  • August 29, 2024

    Segal McCambridge Eyes Tampa Shop With Gordon Rees Hire

    Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney Ltd. has brought on the former assistant managing partner for Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP's Tampa, Florida, office as an insurance and complex commercial litigator as the firm plans to open its own first office in Tampa in the coming months.

  • August 29, 2024

    Agency Says Homeowner's Appeal Question Is Too Late

    An insurance agency pushed North Carolina's Supreme Court to toss a homeowner's appeal on whether the court erred by having heightened pleadings standards for punitive damages against corporations, arguing the deadline for debating the issue had passed.

  • August 29, 2024

    9th Circ. Case May Hinge On When Is Rain Not Rain

    The Ninth Circuit’s coming review of whether a rain exclusion bars a contractor’s claim for more than $7.5 million in water damage to a Hilton hotel it was building in Washington state will potentially turn on the policies’ definition of flood. Here, Law360 breaks down the case in advance of oral arguments on Sept. 10.

  • August 28, 2024

    Suit Against BCBS Unit Over COVID-19 Test Claims Tossed

    A Florida federal judge on Wednesday nixed a laboratory's lawsuit accusing a Blue Cross Blue Shield unit of violating state and federal laws by underpaying or refusing to pay COVID-19 testing claims during the pandemic.

  • August 28, 2024

    Insurer Blasts Ralph Lauren's Appeal For COVID-19 Coverage

    Factory Mutual Insurance Co. urged the Third Circuit on Wednesday to reject Ralph Lauren Corp.'s bid to recoup up to $700 million in COVID-19 pandemic losses, blasting the fashion house's "conclusory allegations" that it was entitled to coverage.

Expert Analysis

  • 5 Climate Change Regulatory Issues Insurers Should Follow

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    The climate change landscape for insurers has changed dramatically recently — and not just because of the controversy over the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's climate-related risk disclosure rules, says Thomas Dawson at McDermott.

  • Breaking Down 4th Circ. Pendent Appellate Jurisdiction Ruling

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    As illustrated by the Fourth Circuit's recent decision in Elegant Massage v. State Farm, denying class certification and granting a motion to dismiss, federal appellate courts continue to struggle with defining the scope of pendent appellate jurisdiction — or jurisdiction over nonfinal orders below, says Joan Steinman at the Chicago-Kent College of Law.

  • Notable Q1 Updates In Insurance Class Actions

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    Mark Johnson and Mathew Drocton at BakerHostetler discuss notable insurance class action decisions from the first quarter of the year ranging from salvage vehicle titling to rate discrimination based on premium-setting software.

  • Why RWI Insurers Should Consider Excluding PFAS

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    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.

  • Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert

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    As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: April Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy discusses three notable circuit court decisions on topics from the Class Action Fairness Act to consumer fraud — and provides key takeaways for counsel on issues including CAFA’s local controversy exception and Article III standing to seek injunctive relief.

  • Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    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.

  • Top 10 Queries For Insurers Entering Surplus Lines Market

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    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.

  • Sorting Circuit Split On Foreign Arbitration Treaty's Authority

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    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.

  • What New Conn. Insurance Bulletin Means For Data And AI

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    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. 

  • Policy Misrepresentations Carry Insurance Rescission Risks

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    The Second Circuit's recent decision in Medical Mutual v. Gnik, finding that material misrepresentation in a clinic's insurance applications warranted policy rescission, is a clear example of the far-reaching effects that misrepresentations can have and provides a reminder that policyholders should employ relatively straightforward steps to decrease risks, say attorneys at Hunton.

  • 2nd Circ. Ruling Clarifies When Demand Letters Are Claims

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    The Second Circuit’s decision last week in Pine Management v. Colony Insurance, affirming that an insurer had no obligation to defend an insured for claims made before the policy period, provides clarity on when presuit demands for relief constitute claims — an important issue that may be dispositive of coverage, says Bonnie Thompson at Lavin Rindner.

  • A Legal Playbook For Stadium Construction Agreements

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    As a new wave of construction in the professional sports arena space gets underway, owners must carefully consider the unique considerations and risks associated with these large-scale projects and draft agreements accordingly, say attorneys at Akerman.

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