Specialty Lines
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December 05, 2024
UN Insurer Climate Risk Report Is Light On Details, Pros Say
A recent United Nations guide advising insurers on how they should plan for the risks associated with climate change offers a broad-level view of ways carriers can support net-zero goals, but experts say more detail is warranted for forthcoming reports.
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December 05, 2024
Chinese Bank Faces New Suit Alleging Reinsurance Fraud
Another group of insurers has accused one of China's largest banks of participating in a "multi-billion-dollar fraud" in the reinsurance market, telling a New York federal court Thursday that the bank, including its New York branch, has refused to honor over $890 million worth of letters of credit.
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December 05, 2024
11th Circ. Won't Rethink $100M Credit For John Hancock
The Eleventh Circuit won't reconsider its decision to let John Hancock Life Insurance Co. keep $100 million in foreign tax credits, leaving in place its October ruling against a Florida law firm retirement plan's trustees.
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December 05, 2024
Insurance Litigation Week In Review
The Delaware Supreme Court will review 3M's bid for coverage in multidistrict litigation over defective earplugs, a California state appeals court relieved an insurer of covering a spa owner in an underlying sex abuse lawsuit, and a group of Hartford units said Proctor & Gamble isn't covered for underlying environmental lawsuits.
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December 05, 2024
Airbnb Customers Drop 'Assistance Fee' Suit Against Insurers
A proposed class of Airbnb customers permanently dropped a suit accusing two of the company's insurance providers of violating Washington state law by charging an "assistance fee" when selling travel coverage.
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December 04, 2024
P&C Insurers Post $4.1B Underwriting Gain In Big Reversal
The U.S. property and casualty insurance market recorded a $4.1 billion net underwriting gain in the first nine months of 2024, according to a report issued Wednesday by global credit rating agency AM Best, which called the turnaround a significant improvement from the prior year's $32.1 billion loss.
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December 03, 2024
Fla. High Court Takes Up Ex-Marvel Exec's Hate Mail Dispute
The Florida Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to take up the question of whether former Marvel Entertainment chair Ike Perlmutter can request punitive damages in a case against his neighbor in a long-running defamation dispute over hate mail.
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December 03, 2024
Insurance Execs Charged With $250M Fake Policy Scheme
An insurance company and two executives issued bogus insurance policies purporting to offer over $250 million in coverage to companies and homeowners, according to an indictment announced by the Manhattan district attorney Tuesday.
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December 03, 2024
Ill. Panel Relieves Liberty Mutual Units Of BIPA Coverage
An Illinois state appeals court held that two Liberty Mutual units didn't owe coverage to a policyholder for an underlying class action alleging violations of the state's Biometric Information Privacy Act, reversing a lower court's decision surrounding the interpretation of a recording and distribution exclusion.
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December 02, 2024
Consulting Firm Says Insurer On Hook For $7.6M Deal
A consulting firm told an Illinois federal court that its insurer must reimburse it for a $7.6 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice relating to a lawsuit accusing the firm of allowing personal information to be compromised, maintaining that the litigation fell within its policy's scope.
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November 27, 2024
Burger King Franchisee Can Tap AIG For BIPA Suit, Eventually
An Illinois federal judge ruled Tuesday that an AIG subsidiary has a duty to defend a Burger King franchisee in a suit brought by employees claiming its timekeeping practices violated Illinois' biometric privacy law, but only after the limits of all other insurance have been exhausted.
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November 27, 2024
Lender Seeks $1M Limit After Broker's Claim Notice Mistake
A lender assigned insurance rights by an underlying defendant as part of a $1 million settlement told a Florida federal court that it is still owed the defendant's $1 million limit even though the defendant's insurance broker failed to notify the correct carrier about the lender's lawsuit.
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November 27, 2024
Co. Seeks $4.4M In Bad Faith Damages Over Developer Row
A collections company that was assigned insurance rights as part of settled, underlying litigation concerning a real estate development in Washington state told a federal court it's entitled to over $4.4 million in bad faith damages against an insurer, arguing the carrier prioritized its own interests ahead of its insured.
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November 25, 2024
Construction Co. Seeks Coverage For $1.9M Email Spoof
A construction company told an Alaska federal court that a Travelers unit acted in bad faith by refusing to provide directors and officers coverage for an email spoofing scheme that caused the company to wire roughly $1.9 million of a partner construction company's funds to an "imposter."
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November 22, 2024
Insurer Says Property Co. On Hook For $250K Cyber Theft
An insurer for a Washington condominium association told a federal court that a property management services company must reimburse the carrier for nearly $250,000 its insured lost after cybercriminals allegedly hacked into the management company's computer system and made payment requests from the condo association's bank account.
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November 22, 2024
Chemical Co.'s PFAS Coverage Suit In SC Gets Tossed
A South Carolina federal court tossed BASF Corp.'s suit seeking coverage for thousands of underlying allegations that the chemical manufacturer's firefighting foam caused pollution and injury, finding Friday that a parallel suit in New Jersey state court favors abstention.
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November 22, 2024
3 Takeaways From 6th Circ. ERISA Disability Benefits Revival
A recent Sixth Circuit ruling that handed a worker a new shot at long-term disability benefits gives a boost to plaintiffs battling caps on coverage for mental health conditions, attorneys say. Here, Law360 looks at three takeaways from the appeals court's decision.
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November 21, 2024
Concerns Remain Over Pricing In Final Calif. Insurance Rule
Insurers in California will be able to price policies using catastrophe models meant to predict future climate risks, but they must adhere to one of several options for increasing coverage availability, under a final rule that has left lingering concerns. Here, Law360 provides a background and overview of the regulation on catastrophe modeling and ratemaking.
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November 21, 2024
Trump Win Injects Uncertainty Into Volatile Cyber Market
President-elect Donald Trump's promises to pursue broad deregulation and realign the nation's geopolitical priorities add uncertainty into an already volatile cyberinsurance market, one in which threats have evolved substantially since his first term.
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November 21, 2024
9th Circ. Affirms Reapportionment In Soil Cleanup Dispute
After the discovery of decades-old policies, an insurer is entitled to reapportionment in a contamination cleanup despite a cost-sharing agreement, the Ninth Circuit affirmed, asking a lower court in a decision released Thursday to also apply state law when revisiting the division of defense costs.
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November 21, 2024
4 Federal Agencies Insurance Attys Must Watch Under Trump
As President-elect Donald Trump continues to build a cabinet for his second term in office, federal agencies are preparing for a transition to an administration that will de-emphasize regulation, which could result in fewer claims for insurers and more transactions for corporate policyholders, experts say. Here, Law360 takes a look at four federal agencies ripe for change that may have a ripple effect on insurance.
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November 21, 2024
Insurance Litigation Week In Review
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a coverage dispute over a man's wood chemical exposure, the Eleventh Circuit affirmed that Lloyd's of London underwriters don't have to cover an investor suit and a California federal court said Truck Insurance Exchange must arbitrate its asbestos coverage claims. Here, Law360 takes a look at the past week's top insurance news.
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November 21, 2024
11th Circ. Asked To Rethink $100M Credit For John Hancock
The Eleventh Circuit should reverse its decision allowing John Hancock Life Insurance Co. to keep $100 million in foreign tax credits that rightfully belong to the company's investors, trustees of a retirement plan said in arguing that the court overlooked a key U.S. Treasury regulation.
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November 20, 2024
11th Circ. Says No Coverage For Holding Co. In $11.7M Row
The Eleventh Circuit unanimously affirmed Wednesday that an insurer doesn't have to cover underlying litigation against a holding company by investors who wanted to revoke an $11.7 million buy-in, because claims were made before the policy was active.
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November 20, 2024
Burger King Franchisee Escapes BIPA Coverage Counterclaim
An Illinois federal judge has axed an AIG subsidiary's counterclaim in a Burger King franchisee's lawsuit seeking coverage for an underlying case accusing it of violating Illinois' biometric privacy law, concluding that the counterclaim is redundant and "adds nothing that will not be decided through resolution of the motions for summary judgment."
Expert Analysis
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Putting NYDFS AI Cybersecurity Guidance Into Practice
New guidance from the New York Department of Financial Services explains how financial institutions should assess and mitigate cybersecurity risks associated with artificial intelligence, focusing on four main threats and highlighting how varying environments require specific mitigation measures, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.
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Recent Developments In Insurance Coverage For FCA Claims
As the U.S. Department of Justice continues its vigorous False Claims Act enforcement, companies looking to their insurers to help defray the costs of an investigation or settlement should note recent decisions on which types of policies cover FCA claims, which policy periods apply and which portions of FCA-related losses are covered, say attorneys at Covington.
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Consider The Impact Of Election Stress On Potential Jurors
For at least the next few months, potential jurors may be working through anger and distrust stemming from the presidential election, and trial attorneys will need to assess whether those jurors are able to leave their political concerns at the door, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.
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NC Ruling Takes Practical Approach To Duty-To-Defend Costs
In Murphy-Brown v. Ace American Insurance, a case of first impression, the North Carolina Business Court adopted the commonsense rationale of many state courts in holding that policyholders' defense costs should be deemed presumtively reasonable when a insurer breaches its duty to defend, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.
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A Look At Insurance Coverage For Government Investigations
Attorneys at Jenner & Block discuss the quirks and potential pitfalls of insurance coverage for government claims and investigations, including those likely to arise from the U.S. Department of Justice's recently announced whistleblower program.
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Why Diversity Jurisdiction Poses Investment Fund Hurdles
Federal courts' continued application of the exacting rules of diversity jurisdiction presents particular challenges for investment funds, and in the absence of any near-term reform, those who manage such funds should take action to avoid diversity jurisdiction pitfalls, say attorneys at Sher Tremonte.
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7 Tips To Help Your Witness Be A Cross-Exam Heavyweight
Because jurors tend to pay a little more attention to cross-examination, attorneys should train their witnesses to strike a balance — making it tough for opposing counsel to make their side’s case, without coming across as difficult to the jury, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.
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Insurance Considerations For Cos. That May Face Strikes
The recent surge in major work stoppages in the U.S. highlights the growing importance of strike preparedness for businesses, which includes understanding strike insurance coverage options, say Chris D’Amour and Brooke Duncan at Adams and Reese.
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Challenges Of Insuring An NIL Collective
Sarah Abrams at Baleen Specialty examines the emergence of name, image and likeness collectives for student-athletes, the current litigation landscape that has created a favorable environment for these organizations, and considerations for director and officer insurers looking to underwrite NIL collectives.
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An Update On Legal Issues In The Drone Market
Marialuisa Gallozzi and Alex Slawson at Covington examine recent developments in the legal issues surrounding the growing drone market, including possible First Amendment protections, Fourth Amendment surveillance, and litigation involving criminal and civil penalties, evidentiary pursuits, and insurance.
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Key Insurance Implications Of Hawaii's Historic GHG Ruling
In Aloha Petroleum v. National Union Fire Insurance, the Hawaii Supreme Court became the first state court to classify greenhouse gasses as pollutants barred from insurance coverage, a ruling likely to be afforded great weight by courts across the country, say Scott Seaman and Gar Lauerman at Hinshaw & Culbertson.
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Use The Right Kind Of Feedback To Help Gen Z Attorneys
Generation Z associates bring unique perspectives and expectations to the workplace, so it’s imperative that supervising attorneys adapt their feedback approach in order to help young lawyers learn and grow — which is good for law firms, too, says Rachael Bosch at Fringe Professional Development.
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Congress Can And Must Enact A Supreme Court Ethics Code
As public confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court dips to historic lows following reports raising conflict of interest concerns, Congress must exercise its constitutional power to enact a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the high court, says Muhammad Faridi, president of the New York City Bar Association.