Specialty Lines
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August 30, 2024
Door-Maker Demands $10M In Excess Insurance At 4th Circ.
A door manufacturer pressed the Fourth Circuit to force an insurer to hand over $10 million in excess coverage in connection with a $39.5 million shareholder settlement over alleged lies to investors, arguing Friday that the matter was unrelated to other litigation and counts as a separate claim.
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August 29, 2024
Pa. Justices To Examine Axing Of 'Red Book' Drug Pricing
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has agreed to review a decision tossing the "Red Book" pricing values used by the state's Bureau of Workers' Compensation to calculate reimbursement for prescription drug costs.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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August 29, 2024
Data Breach Victims Get Initial Green Light For $1.5M Deal
A proposed class of policyholders, employees and stakeholders has received an initial nod of approval from a federal judge in North Carolina on its $1.5 million settlement with a construction industry insurer over a 2022 data breach.
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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.
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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.
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August 28, 2024
Insurer Avoids Covering $1.9M Conn. Securities Judgment
A Liberty Mutual unit has no duty to cover an approximately $1.9 million stipulated judgment a couple won after alleging that certain officials of a company Liberty insured defrauded them into investing, a Connecticut state court ruled, finding that covering the judgment would violate state public policy.
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August 27, 2024
No Coverage For Tire Co.'s Unpaid Invoices, Judge Rules
A tire manufacturer cannot get insurance coverage for millions in unpaid invoices it is owed, a Florida federal court has ruled, finding that the manufacturer made a material misrepresentation in its insurance application concerning the creditworthiness of one of its largest customers.
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August 26, 2024
Bank Co. Disputes AIG's Reading Of Covered Defense Costs
A bank owner defended its amended claims that an AIG unit violated the Texas Insurance Code, telling a Texas federal court that AIG unlawfully issued it late defense payments and refused to cover defense costs that "incidentally" benefited its affirmative underlying claims.
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August 23, 2024
Split 6th Circ. Refuses To Undo Amway's $37M Coverage Win
The Sixth Circuit affirmed Friday that an AIG unit must pay $37 million for failing to defend and indemnify Amway and parent company Alticor in a dustup with major record companies over the use of copyrighted music in ads.
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August 23, 2024
Everest Re Unit Escapes Data Breach Class Action
A New Jersey federal judge has tossed a proposed class action claiming that an Everest Re unit failed to protect customers' personal information during a data breach, ruling that the suit fails to show that the company had a duty to protect their information.
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August 22, 2024
Construction Co. Says It's Owed Coverage For Sinkhole Claim
A Washington construction company has filed a suit seeking to force an insurer to cover potential damages in an underlying lawsuit alleging the company botched a sewer pipeline replacement project, causing a sinkhole to open up along a Seattle ship canal after the job ended.
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August 22, 2024
Midyear Check-In 2024: Rite Aid Bankruptcy
Pharmacy chain Rite Aid Inc. entered bankruptcy last year facing billions of dollars in bank debt and staggering liabilities in connection with the national opioid crisis, but its trip through Chapter 11 resulted in a confirmed plan that addresses these obligations.
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August 22, 2024
Insurance Litigation Week In Review
CVS has no coverage for 200 opioid actions, State Farm auto policyholders have another shot at an underpayment class action, Travelers settled with a thieving law firm and Safeco says a man who allegedly gave his girlfriend herpes is on his own. Here, Law360 takes a look at the past week's top insurance news.
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August 22, 2024
Motor Home Policy Is Stackable, Widow Tells NC Court
The widow of a North Carolina man who was fatally struck by a car told a state appeals court that she's allowed to stack two underinsured motorist policies to recover a $625,000 wrongful death award in her favor because the second policy included a "private passenger motor vehicle."
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August 22, 2024
In 'Super Like' Coverage Bid, Tinder Seeks Match With NY Law
A New York federal court's contemplation of whether Tinder owner Match Group has coverage for a lawsuit alleging it stiffed a developer who invented the app's "Super Like" function could provide clarity on when and how a state law applies to extend reporting deadlines in insurance policies.
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August 22, 2024
NY AG Tells Appeals Court To Uphold $465M Trump Judgment
Donald Trump has barely challenged the extensive proof of financial statement lies undergirding a $465 million civil fraud judgment against him and his co-defendants, New York's attorney general said in an appeals brief looking to preserve the bench verdict.
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August 22, 2024
Fisher Phillips Brings Smith Gambrell Atty To DC Gov't Team
Fisher Phillips' new D.C.-based agriculture employment partner has practiced several types of law throughout his career, and told Law360 Pulse Thursday that his employment law career started unexpectedly after a managing partner at one of his first firms called out sick before an interview.
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August 22, 2024
Ga. Mineral Co., Insurer Strike Deal In Talc Coverage Suit
Phoenix Insurance Co. reached a contingent settlement with a Georgia-based mineral products company in litigation seeking to force the insurer to defend the company against an underlying suit claiming it supplied asbestos-containing talc products.
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August 22, 2024
7th Circ. Says Hidden IP Fight Doomed Insurance Coverage Bid
The Seventh Circuit has agreed an insurer could rescind its policies covering a garbage services company because that company failed to disclose an already brewing trademark dispute, concluding the company's argument that it didn't need to disclose the feud was "not supported by the record or common sense."
![(iStock.com/wildpixel)](https://assets.law360news.com/1874000/1874658/bdeb46759c97d650aa8ee3a798cb0cbdb63f1569-whistleblower.jpg)
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.
![Carriers are eager to offer buyers lower fees and a more streamlined underwriting process because the market is so highly saturated. (iStock.com/Atstock Productions)](https://assets.law360news.com/1872000/1872587/fbecb40d5eba8bdf0cdd4492c458d93574acfc3b-istock-1413603048.jpg)
Multi-Deal Insurance On The Rise In Cooler M&A Market
As M&A activity continues to recover from its peak in 2021, insurers are now increasingly issuing representation and warranty policies covering not just one underlying deal, but a buyer's portfolio of prospective acquisitions, experts tell Law360.
![Businesswoman showing insurance document over white desk at office (iStock.com/eternalcreative)](https://assets.law360news.com/1870000/1870044/389de46e45167f917e822649e92477579713cabb-insurance-policy.jpg)
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.
Expert Analysis
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6 Considerations To Determine If A Cyber Incident Is Material
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent guidance on material cybersecurity incidents covers a range of ransomware scenarios, from a company paying a sum and regaining operations to recovering payment via cyberinsurance, but makes it clear that no single factor determines whether a cybersecurity incident is material, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Insuring Lender's Baseball Bet Leads To Major League Dispute
In RockFence v. Lloyd's, a California federal court seeks to define who qualifies as a professional baseball player for purposes of an insurance coverage payout, providing an illuminating case study of potential legal issues arising from baseball service loans, say Marshall Gilinsky and Seán McCabe at Anderson Kill.
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Insurance Lessons From 11th Circ. Ruling On Policy Grammar
The Eleventh Circuit's recent decision in ECB v. Chubb Insurance, holding that missing punctuation didn't change the clear meaning of a professional services policy, offers policyholder takeaways about the uncertainty that can arise when courts interpret insurance policy language based on obscure grammatical canons, say Hugh Lumpkin and Garrett Nemeroff at Reed Smith.
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Ore. Insurance Litigation Is Testing The Bounds After Moody
Despite the Oregon Supreme Court’s attempt to limit application of its 2023 decision in Moody v. Oregon Community Credit Union, which for the first time awarded extracontractual damages stemming from alleged negligent claims handling, recent litigation shows Oregon insurance companies face greater exposure, says Sarah Pozzi at Cozen O’Connor.
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What's In NYDFS Guidance On Use Of AI In Insurance
Matthew Gaul and Shlomo Potesky at Willkie summarize the New York Department of Financial Services' recently adopted circular letter on the use of artificial intelligence in insurance underwriting and pricing, and highlight the material changes made to it in response to comments on the draft circular letter.
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After Jarkesy, IRS Must Course-Correct On Captive Insurance
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy decision has profound implications for other agencies, including the IRS, which must stop ignoring due process and curtailing congressional intent in its policing of captive insurance arrangements, says Peter Dawson at the 831(b) Institute.
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3 Policyholder Tips After Calif. Ruling Denying D&O Coverage
A California decision from June, Practice Fusion v. Freedom Specialty Insurance, denying a company's claim seeking reimbursement under a directors and officers insurance policy for its settlement with the Justice Department, highlights the importance of coordinating coverage for all operational risks and the danger of broad exclusionary policy language, says Geoffrey Fehling at Hunton.
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M&A In The AI Era: Key Deal Terms To Watch
As the artificial intelligence market matures, so will due diligence needs, as M&A deals aimed at consolidation and new synergies raise unique legal and regulatory challenges, including potential antitrust and national security reviews, say attorneys at Skadden.
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Purdue Ch. 11 Ruling Reinforces Importance Of D&O Coverage
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma, holding that a Chapter 11 reorganization cannot discharge claims against a nondebtor without affected claimants' consent, will open new litigation pathways surrounding corporate insolvency and increase the importance of robust directors and officers insurance, says Evan Bolla at Harris St. Laurent.
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Del. Bankruptcy Ruling Will Give D&O Insureds Nightmares
In Henrich v. XL Specialty Insurance, the Delaware Bankruptcy Court recently found that a never-served qui tam claim had been "brought" before a D&O policy's retroactive date, thereby eliminating coverage, and creating a nightmare scenario for directors and officers policyholders facing whistleblower claims, says David Klein at Pillsbury.
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Takeaways From Justices' Redemption Insurance Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Connelly v. U.S. examines how to determine the fair market value of shares in a closely held company for estate tax purposes, and clarifies how life insurance held by the company to enable redemption of a decedent’s shares affects that calculation, says Evelyn Haralampu at Burns & Levinson.
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Reps And Warranties Insurance Considerations As M&A Slows
The first six months of the year have seen increasingly favorable rates and policy terms for the representations and warranties insurance market, and policy purchasers are right to pay close attention to pricing, coverage, exclusions, structures and claims as the M&A market cools, say attorneys at Cooley.
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8th Circ. Insurance Ruling Spotlights Related-Claims Defenses
The Eighth Circuit’s recent Dexon v. Travelers ruling — that the insurer must provide a defense despite the policy’s related-acts provision — provides guidance for how policyholders can overcome related-acts defenses, say Geoffrey Fehling and Jae Lynn Huckaba at Hunton.