Specialty Lines

  • July 19, 2024

    Chubb Unit Beats Manufacturer In R.I. COVID-19 Coverage Suit

    A knitted wire mesh manufacturer lost its bid for coverage for pandemic losses at its Mexico facilities because it didn't show that COVID-19 caused covered physical damage, a Rhode Island federal court ruled Friday, handing a win to the manufacturer's Chubb insurer.

  • July 18, 2024

    Insurer Settles Coverage Row Over Wash. Day Care Sex Abuse

    Following a contested nearly $25 million settlement agreement, an insurance coverage dispute arising from the molestation of children at an Olympia, Washington, day care center has been resolved, a Washington federal court announced Thursday.

  • July 18, 2024

    Towers Watson's Bump-Up Appeal Lifts Policyholder Hopes

    Towers Watson's request that the Fourth Circuit reject a lower court decision freeing its insurers from paying out $54 million in directors and officers coverage has raised policyholders' hopes that a favorable ruling will clarify the reach of so-called bump-up exclusions.

  • July 18, 2024

    Tobacco Cooperative's $10M Coverage Suit Trimmed

    A North Carolina federal court pared down a tobacco cooperative's suit accusing its excess insurer of wrongfully refusing to pay up to the full $10 million policy limit for defense and settlement costs associated with underlying suits brought by member growers.

  • July 18, 2024

    Split 9th Circ. Panel Backs Restoring DHS Bond Rule

    A Ninth Circuit panel upheld a Department of Homeland Security rule barring some immigration surety firms from posting bonds for detained border-crossers Thursday, saying the rule's 2021 ratification by current Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas cured any defects with its original introduction in 2020.

  • July 18, 2024

    9th Circ. Weighs Nevada High Court Cert. In Subrogation Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Thursday suggested it might certify a question to the Nevada Supreme Court over whether an insurer can subrogate against another carrier if an underlying, covered settlement doesn't exceed their combined limits, questioning the extent they should be persuaded by two unpublished Nevada Supreme Court decisions.

  • July 18, 2024

    Vineyard Says Insurer Owes Coverage For $50M Of Bad Wine

    A vineyard is blaming its excess insurer for refusing to contribute to a settlement after an underlying lawsuit asserted more than $50 million in claims against it for allegedly damaging over 300,000 cases of wine, according to a case moved to Washington federal court.

  • July 18, 2024

    FEMA Flood Standard A Step In Right Direction, Experts Say

    The Biden Administration's decision last week to continue implementing a stronger flood protection standard is being welcomed by experts as a way to improve resiliency, even though the rule likely won't have a significant direct effect on flood insurance.

  • July 18, 2024

    Former Md. Insurance Head Reflects On Return To DLA Piper

    Kathleen Birrane returned to DLA Piper to lead the firm's U.S. insurance regulatory practice after four years as Maryland's insurance commissioner, resuming her role in private practice with years of experience working across state and international lines on emerging issues. Law360 spoke with Birrane by email about her career.

  • July 18, 2024

    Insurance Litigation Week In Review

    An Amazon insurer was given the green light to pursue its subrogation claims, a former Georgia insurance commissioner was sentenced to 3½ years for his kickback scheme, 3M couldn't get a quick win in its combat earplugs multidistrict litigation coverage dispute, and an electronics components maker lost its $100 million COVID-19 coverage appeal. Here, Law360 takes a look at this week's top insurance news.

  • July 18, 2024

    Ga. Mineral Co. Can't Nab Win In Row Over Talc Suit Coverage

    A Georgia federal judge declined to grant a win to a mineral products company trying to compel a Travelers unit to defend it against an underlying suit claiming that it supplied asbestos-containing talc products.

  • July 17, 2024

    Conn. Enacts Legislation To Support Captive Insurers

    Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed into law an act aimed at furthering the state's commitment to the captive insurance industry, building upon the legislative efforts of recent years that have positioned Connecticut as the leading domicile for captives.

  • July 17, 2024

    Insurer Says No Coverage For Payment Software Sale Dispute

    A management liability insurer told an Illinois federal court that it had no duty to defend sellers accused of fraud and other misdeeds as part of the sale of a payment processing company.

  • July 16, 2024

    The 2024 Diversity Snapshot: What You Need To Know

    Law firms' ongoing initiatives to address diversity challenges have driven another year of progress, with the representation of minority attorneys continuing to improve across the board, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. Here's our data dive into minority representation at law firms in 2023.

  • July 16, 2024

    These Firms Have The Most Diverse Equity Partnerships

    Law360’s law firm survey shows that firms' efforts to diversify their equity partner ranks are lagging. But some have embraced a broader talent pool at the equity partner level. Here are the ones that stood out.

  • July 15, 2024

    Towers Watson Asks 4th Circ. To Find Merger Dispute Covered

    Towers Watson's insurers must pay out $54 million in remaining directors and officers coverage to help fund a $75 million settlement in a shareholder suit over the company's merger with Willis, Towers Watson told the Fourth Circuit, saying a so-called bump-up exclusion does not apply.

  • July 15, 2024

    Mogul's Co. Drops Bid To Stop Insurer's Liquidation

    A company owned by convicted insurance mogul Greg Lindberg wants to end a fight against North Carolina's liquidation of an insurer, saying that it desires to withdraw its case in the state Court of Appeals.

  • July 15, 2024

    Diocese's Insurer Says No Coverage For Sex Abuse Claims

    An excess insurer for the Roman Catholic Bishop of Orange told a California federal court it owes no coverage for over 200 consolidated child sex abuse lawsuits, arguing that despite the primary insurer's insolvency, underlying limits must deplete before excess coverage kicks in.

  • July 15, 2024

    Casino Owner Says Insurer Must Face $130M COVID Loss Suit

    A casino operator with properties on the Las Vegas strip and beyond asked a Nevada federal judge to keep its $130 million COVID-19 pandemic loss coverage suit alive, arguing that its insurer presented no valid reason to end the dispute.

  • July 12, 2024

    Law360 Names 2024's Top Attorneys Under 40

    Law360 is pleased to announce the Rising Stars of 2024, our list of 158 attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments belie their age.

  • July 11, 2024

    NY Tells Insurers To Test AI For Discrimination Before Use

    New York has set a high bar for insurers' artificial intelligence systems, recommending Thursday that they avoid the technology for underwriting or pricing unless they determine the systems and their underlying data are compliant with consumer protection laws.

  • July 11, 2024

    The Top Property Insurance Decisions of 2024 So Far

    Two major state supreme court decisions on insurance coverage for pandemic losses and a Colorado ruling on whether policyholders can be excused for making late homeowners claims are among the top property insurance decisions of 2024 so far.

  • July 11, 2024

    9th Circ. To Weigh When Inter-Insurer Subrogation Is Allowed

    The Ninth Circuit next Thursday will hear oral arguments on whether an excess insurer can recoup from a primary insurer its $4 million share of a $5 million wrongful death settlement, even though the total settlement sum did not exceed the insurers' combined policy limits.

  • July 11, 2024

    Syracuse Diocese To Notice Creditors On Ch. 11 Releases

    Lawyers for the Diocese of Syracuse said they've come up with a process to collect creditor consent for third party releases in an already voted on reorganization plan, telling a New York bankruptcy judge Thursday the approach will hopefully head off confirmation issues after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down nonconsensual third party releases in Chapter 11 plans.

  • July 11, 2024

    Insurance Litigation Week In Review

    Foreclosure prevented a man's house fire windfall, a former Georgia insurance commissioner sought a lesser sentence for his kickback scheme, Kiwanis leaders and sex abuse survivors demanded coverage, and a federal judge extended a penile enlargement injury coverage suit.

Expert Analysis

  • Key Provisions In Florida's New Insurer Accountability Act

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    Florida's recent bipartisan Insurer Accountability Act introduces a range of new obligations for insurance companies and regulatory bodies to strengthen consumer protection, and other states may follow suit should it prove successful at ensuring a reliable insurance market, say Jan Larson and Benjamin Malings at Jenner & Block.

  • 10th Circ. Remand Of ERISA Claims To Insurer Is Problematic

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    The Tenth Circuit recently gave the defendant another bite at the apple in David P. v. United Healthcare by remanding Employee Retirement Income Security Act claims for reprocessing, but the statute lacks any provision authorizing remands of ERISA cases, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.

  • Insurers, Prepare For Large Exposures From PFAS Claims

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    With thousands of lawsuits concerning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances pending across the country, several large settlements already reached, and both regulators and the plaintiffs bar increasingly focusing on PFAS, it is becoming clear that these "forever chemicals" present major exposures to insurers and their policyholders, say Scott Seaman and Jennifer Arnold at Hinshaw.

  • Groundbreaking Nev. Law May Alter Insurance Landscape

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    The Nevada Legislature recently passed a law prohibiting insurers from issuing liability policies with eroding limits provisions that has the potential to create massive shifts in the marketplace — and specifically in areas like professional liability, cyber, and directors and officers insurance, says Will Bennett at Saxe Doernberger.

  • Online Purchase Insurance: Regulatory Issues To Watch For

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    Before offering insurance on consumer transactions, otherwise known as embedded insurance, merchants and insurance producers should be aware of a few regulatory issues and have a multistate compliance strategy in place, say Fred Garsson and Kara Pike at Saul Ewing.

  • To Survive Scrutiny, Banks Should Craft Careful D&O Policies

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    With banks and their boards facing intensified — and potentially costly — scrutiny after this spring’s bank failures, risk managers can prepare for potential shareholder demands, lawsuits or regulatory probes by designing a robust and targeted directors and officers coverage program, say Jose Lua-Valencia and Jesse Vazquez at Pillsbury.

  • Insurance Insights From 5th Circ. Blue Bell Coverage Ruling

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    The Fifth Circuit's recent ruling that denied Blue Bell insurance coverage for the defense costs incurred from a shareholder lawsuit underscores the importance of coordination of different coverages and policies across programs, and the potential perils of seeking recovery for losses under nontraditional policies, say Geoffrey Fehling and Casey Coffey at Hunton.

  • BIPA, Meta Pixel Suits Could Reshape Cybersecurity Litigation

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    Businesses and attorneys should watch several pending electronic privacy cases that revolve around disclosure of protected personal information and health data, which may shape how courts handle damages and class actions in the future of cybersecurity litigation, say Kelly Johnson and Melanie Condon at Goldberg Segalla.

  • Insurance Coverage For ChatGPT Legal Fiasco: A Hypothetical

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    William Passannante at Anderson Kill draws on the recent case of an attorney sanctioned by the Southern District of New York for submitting a ChatGPT-authored brief to discuss what the insurance coverage for the attorney's hypothetical claim might look like.

  • Insurance Implications Of High Court Affirmative Action Ruling

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling striking down affirmative action admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina will likely result in more litigation related to hiring practices, with implications for insurance coverage, meaning policyholders must remain wary of exclusions and other potential roadblocks, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • What The ESG Divide Means For Insurers And Beyond

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    The debate around ESG is becoming increasingly polarized, with some states passing legislation that prohibits the use of ESG factors and others advancing affirmative legislation, highlighting the importance for insurers and other companies to understand this complex legal landscape, say Scott Seaman and Bessie Daschbach at Hinshaw.

  • 2 Years Later: TransUnion's Impact On Data Breach Litigation

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    In the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark TransUnion decision, plaintiffs have sought to bypass the effects of the ruling — which poses a significant impediment to large data breach class actions and uncertainty for cyber insurers — through various clever pleading forms, say Jason Fagelman and Sarah Cornelia at Norton Rose, and Amanda Thai at Beazley.

  • Insurance Considerations For State Biometric Privacy Claims

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    As Connecticut and Colorado join the growing number of states that have enacted biometric data privacy acts auguring significant damages, in-house counsel thinking about insurance coverage for privacy liability should consider several key factors including clarity of exclusions, say Peter Halprin and Tae Andrews at Pasich.