Calif. Does Not Bar Defense Coverage For 'Willful Acts'

By Darren Teshima and Harry Moren ( June 23, 2017, 10:55 AM EDT) -- California prohibits insurers from indemnifying policyholders for their intentional misconduct, as a matter of public policy and as codified in California Insurance Code section 533. This bar on insurance coverage, however, does not necessarily bar insurers from providing or paying for a defense against accusations of wrongful conduct. When California policyholders tender a complaint alleging intentional wrongdoing — such as a qui tam lawsuit alleging False Claims Act (FCA) violations — they should not simply accept an insurer's broad coverage denial relying upon Section 533....

Law360 is on it, so you are, too.

A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions.


A Law360 subscription includes features such as

  • Daily newsletters
  • Expert analysis
  • Mobile app
  • Advanced search
  • Judge information
  • Real-time alerts
  • 450K+ searchable archived articles

And more!

Experience Law360 today with a free 7-day trial.

Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber? Click here to login

Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!