Insurance

  • November 06, 2024

    MVP: Cohen Ziffer's Keith McKenna

    Keith McKenna of Cohen Ziffer Frenchman & McKenna won Walmart Inc. defense coverage for underlying opioid lawsuits and helped New York State policyholders enshrine their rights to payback for frivolous insurer suits — earning him a spot among the 2024 Law360 Insurance MVPs.

  • November 05, 2024

    Trump Has Official Immunity. What About His Aides?

    Whether the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity extends to subordinates who follow a president's orders has become a more pressing question in the wake of Donald Trump's projected election win, according to legal experts.

  • November 05, 2024

    How Trump Can Quash His Criminal Cases

    Donald Trump's projected victory at the polls also translates to a win in the courts, as the second-term president will have the power to end both of his federal criminal cases. And the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity would shield him from any consequences for ordering his charges to be dismissed, experts say.

  • November 05, 2024

    An Early Look At Trump's Supreme Court Shortlist

    With former President Donald Trump projected to win the 2024 presidential election and the Republicans' success in securing the U.S. Senate majority, Trump may now get the chance to appoint two more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, cementing the court's conservative tilt for decades to come.

  • November 05, 2024

    GOP's Senate Win Hands Future Of The Judiciary To Trump

    Republicans were projected to take back the White House and Senate and possibly the House early Wednesday, putting the GOP in position to back Donald Trump's agenda and his slate of young, conservative judicial nominees. 

  • November 05, 2024

    The Firms With An Inside Track To A New Trump Admin

    Law firms that have represented Donald Trump and the Republican Party on everything from personal legal woes to election-related lawsuits could see the risks of that work pay dividends as Trump is projected to secure a second term in office.

  • November 05, 2024

    Voters Pass Medicaid Tax In Calif., Support IVF Coverage In Ill.

    A tax on managed care organizations in California and an Illinois advisory question supporting access to in vitro fertilization won voter approval Tuesday as state-level ballot measures were set to shape healthcare policy across the country, according to unofficial election returns.

  • November 05, 2024

    Susman Godfrey Opposes Fee Bid In $147.5M Insurance Deal

    Susman Godfrey LLP lawyers have objected to three firms' requests for $36.9 million in attorney fees in a life insurance class action, saying they spent millions pressing similar New York and Pennsylvania claims being swept into an allegedly undervalued $147.5 million global settlement in Connecticut.

  • November 05, 2024

    Insurer Says No Coverage For Doctor Sex Assault Claims

    An insurer covering an Ohio doctor who was indicted for over 50 counts of sexual misconduct and a private practice he worked at told an Ohio federal court that their policies must be rescinded because of multiple misrepresentations in policy renewals.

  • November 05, 2024

    Father, Daughter Attys Ask To Avoid Prison For Tax Scheme

    Father and daughter attorneys convicted of participating in a multimillion-dollar tax avoidance scheme asked a North Carolina federal court to spare them prison sentences, with the daughter saying her father should have protected her and the father highlighting his mental illness.

  • November 05, 2024

    9th Circ. Says State Farm Needn't Cover Sex Assault Claims

    A State Farm unit doesn't owe coverage to a man accused of sexual assault, the Ninth Circuit held Tuesday, affirming that the man engaged in deliberate and intentional conduct and thus there was no occurrence, or accident, for the purpose of triggering coverage.

  • November 05, 2024

    UBH Strikes Deal To End Mental Health Coverage Class Action

    United Behavioral Health told a New York federal court Tuesday it needs more time to finalize an agreement that would resolve a class action alleging the insurance company denied coverage for mental health treatments it deemed "experimental" while paying for unproven remedies in other medical settings.

  • November 05, 2024

    Bright Health Beats Investor Suit Over COVID-19 Costs

    The health insurer previously known as Bright Health Group Inc. no longer faces a proposed investor class action after a Brooklyn federal judge found that the company's initial public offering risk disclosures hadn't deliberately misled investors about its anticipated costs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • November 05, 2024

    Management Co. Says Insurer Can't Duck HOA Fire Coverage

    A property management company has taken an Auto-Owners Insurance unit to North Carolina federal court for allegedly trying to pull back defense and indemnity coverage it had already been providing in an underlying lawsuit brought by a homeowners' association over a 2021 fire, arguing that it's too late for the insurer to back out.

  • November 05, 2024

    Insurer Can't Avoid Paying $122K LSU Frat Hazing Award

    The Fifth Circuit refused to let an Allstate unit off the hook for coverage of a $122,000 judgment entered in favor of the parents of a former Louisiana State University student who died during a fraternity hazing incident.

  • November 05, 2024

    MVP: Covington's Gretchen Hoff Varner

    Gretchen Hoff Varner of Covington & Burling LLP secured a $70 million judgment in favor of Brooklyn Union Gas Co., now owned by National Grid, establishing coverage for decades of environmental contamination along New York's Gowanus Canal, earning her a spot as a 2024 Law360 Insurance MVP.

  • November 05, 2024

    Dems Push Insurance Regulators To Tackle Hurricane Fraud

    Three Democrats on the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, including ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin, sent letters to insurance regulators in the states hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton urging them to do more to prevent fraud and dishonesty from insurers looking to avoid covering damages.

  • November 05, 2024

    On The Ground: How Attorneys Safeguarded The Election

    Attorneys worked tirelessly Tuesday to support citizens and election workers on the final day of voting in one of history's most contentious presidential contests.

  • November 04, 2024

    Cigna Scores $7.3M Verdict Against Fla. Drug Testing Labs

    A Connecticut federal jury on Monday handed Cigna Health and Life Insurance Co. a victory against three Florida boutique drug testing laboratories, finding the labs unjustly billed nearly $7.3 million for tests on substance abuse patients that the insurer declared medically unnecessary.

  • November 04, 2024

    Yale Gets 2nd Circ. Win In COVID Test Reimbursement Row

    A Connecticut medical practice can't sue Yale University under federal legislation enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic to recover the $1.1 million it said it incurred while providing COVID testing to university health plan members, the Second Circuit ruled Monday, finding no private cause of action existed.

  • November 04, 2024

    9th Circ. Revives Developer's Fire Loss Coverage Suit

    The Ninth Circuit revived a company's claim for lost business income after its laundromat development project was destroyed in a fire, saying Monday in an unpublished opinion that the developer's claim is not unduly speculative.

  • November 04, 2024

    Judge Says She'll Likely Send Talc Ch. 11 Plan Out For Vote

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge said Monday she will likely give a pair of talc producers permission to send their Chapter 11 plans out for a creditor vote, saying she was satisfied with the changes made since last week.

  • November 04, 2024

    La. City Seeks To Ax Arbitration Order In Storm Coverage Suit

    A New Orleans suburb urged a Louisiana federal court to vacate its order forcing the city to arbitrate its claims against a group of domestic insurers over Hurricane Ida damage in light of a recent Louisiana Supreme Court decision nixing arbitration as an option.

  • November 04, 2024

    Insurer Says Only Sublimit Available In Sex Misconduct Suits

    A commercial general liability insurer for a Nashville-based gym told a Tennessee federal court that only a $100,000 "each abuse" sublimit in an abuse endorsement is available for four civil lawsuits stemming from a personal trainer's sexual misconduct.

  • November 04, 2024

    Justices Remand Atty Privilege Case After Judge Admits Gaffe

    The Colorado Supreme Court has remanded a case over whether communications between an insurance company's outside lawyer and the experts it hired to study an alleged construction defect are privileged, after some justices said the appeal was "half-baked" because the trial judge had already admitted she was wrong.

Expert Analysis

  • 2 Options For Sackler Family After High Court Purdue Ruling

    Author Photo

    After the U.S. Supreme Court recently blocked Purdue Pharma's plan to shield the family that owns the company from bankruptcy lawsuits, the Sacklers face the choice to either continue litigation, or return to the bargaining table for a settlement that doesn't eliminate creditor claims, says Gregory Germain at Syracuse University.

  • In Memoriam: The Modern Administrative State

    Author Photo

    On June 28, the modern administrative state, where courts deferred to agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes, died when the U.S. Supreme Court overruled its previous decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council — but it is survived by many cases decided under the Chevron framework, say Joseph Schaeffer and Jessica Deyoe at Babst Calland.

  • What Fla. Ruling Means For Insurer Managed Repair Programs

    Author Photo

    A recent Florida state court ruling in Fraga v. Citizens Property Insurance, holding that the insurer could not seek to add additional terms in its managed repair program consent form, should promote clear written contract terms that clarify the relationship between insurers, policyholders and contractors, says Chip Merlin at Merlin Law Group.

  • Revisiting Scalia's 'What's It To You?' After Kaiser Ruling

    Author Photo

    While the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser allows insurers to be considered "parties in interest" in Chapter 11 cases, they still need to show they would face an injury in fact, answering the late Justice Antonin Scalia's "what's it to you?" question, say Brent Weisenberg and Jeff Prol at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • How To Clean Up Your Generative AI-Produced Legal Drafts

    Author Photo

    As law firms increasingly rely on generative artificial intelligence tools to produce legal text, attorneys should be on guard for the overuse of cohesive devices in initial drafts, and consider a few editing pointers to clean up AI’s repetitive and choppy outputs, says Ivy Grey at WordRake.

  • Series

    Boxing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Boxing has influenced my legal work by enabling me to confidently hone the skills I've learned from the sport, like the ability to remain calm under pressure, evaluate an opponent's weaknesses and recognize when to seize an important opportunity, says Kirsten Soto at Clyde & Co.

  • Purdue Ch. 11 Ruling Reinforces Importance Of D&O Coverage

    Author Photo

    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.

  • Opinion

    Industry Self-Regulation Will Shine Post-Chevron

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court's Loper decision will shape the contours of industry self-regulation in the years to come, providing opportunities for this often-misunderstood practice, says Eric Reicin at BBB National Programs.

  • 3 Ways Agencies Will Keep Making Law After Chevron

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court clearly thinks it has done something big in overturning the Chevron precedent that had given deference to agencies' statutory interpretations, but regulated parties have to consider how agencies retain significant power to shape the law and its meaning, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • After Chevron

    Author Photo

    Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference standard in June, this Expert Analysis series has featured attorneys discussing the potential impact across 37 different rulemaking and litigation areas.

  • Opinion

    Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem

    Author Photo

    The legal industry is engaged in a critical conversation about lawyers' mental health, but current attorney well-being programs primarily focus on helping lawyers cope with the stress of excessive workloads, instead of examining whether this work culture is even fundamentally compatible with lawyer well-being, says Jonathan Baum at Avenir Guild.

  • Calif. Long-Tail Ruling Continues Policyholder-Friendly Trend

    Author Photo

    The California Supreme Court's recent ruling in Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Cement & Gypsum, rejecting horizontal policy exhaustion, was the latest in a string of its decisions involving insurance coverage for continuous or progressive injury claims that favor policyholders, say Billie Mandelbaum and David Goodwin at Covington.

  • Series

    NY Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q2

    Author Photo

    The second quarter of 2024 saw less enforcement activity in the realm of New York financial services, but brought substantial regulatory and legislative developments, including state regulators' guidance on cybersecurity compliance and customer service processes for virtual currency entities, say James Vivenzio and Andrew Lucas at Perkins Coie.

  • Series

    Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.

  • Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule

    Author Photo

    Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Insurance archive.
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!