Specialty Lines
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May 06, 2025
3rd Circ. Won't Review PNC's $106M No-Coverage Ruling
The Third Circuit declined Tuesday to reconsider its decision that PNC Bank isn't owed coverage for a $106 million judgment it incurred over claims that its predecessor mismanaged funeral trust accounts.
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May 06, 2025
4th Circ. Hears Towers Watson's Bump-Up Exclusion Appeal
The Fourth Circuit seemed skeptical Tuesday that Towers Watson's settlement of shareholder litigation was not an effective increase in deal compensation barred by a so-called bump-up exclusion in its directors and officers policies.
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May 05, 2025
Citizens Policy May Cover BIPA Claim, 7th Circ. Says
An Illinois food ingredient manufacturer may be able to tap into one of its Citizens insurance policies for coverage of an underlying biometric privacy suit, if the company can prove it provided the insurer with timely notice of the claim, the Seventh Circuit said.
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May 05, 2025
Insurance Key Concern In Fighting Cyberattacks, Panel Says
Companies need to consider a wide range of protections and policies to stem the growing risks posed by social engineering, wire transfer fraud and other forms of cyberattacks, panelists at a risk conference said Monday.
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May 05, 2025
Late Amazon Worker's Life Insurance Suit Delayed By 2 Months
An Ohio federal judge on Friday delayed an upcoming trial over a late Amazon worker's life insurance policy by about two months but declined to convert it to a bench trial at this point, saying the request to proceed without a jury was premature.
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May 05, 2025
Liberty Wants Uber Rider, Employer To Cover Cyclist's Claim
Liberty Mutual's surplus lines unit says an Uber rider and his then-employer, Boston-based developer Beacon Communities, are liable for a claim the insurer paid out to a cyclist who was "doored" as the passenger got out near his office in 2023.
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May 01, 2025
6th Circ. Judge Unsure If Totaled Car Payout Class Will Stand
A federal appellate panel grappled Thursday with whether to uphold class certification in a lawsuit claiming that State Farm systematically undervalues totaled vehicles, with one judge wondering if every class automobile would require its own damages trial.
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May 01, 2025
Public Fire Model Could Boost Calif. Insurance Oversight
Developing a public wildfire model in California could help provide a transparent benchmark for insurance regulators to better understand fire risk and evaluate rates, but experts warn that challenges remain as the federal government eyes cuts to key climate monitors.
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May 01, 2025
Insurance Pros Stress Disaster Mitigation In Senate Hearing
A panel of insurance experts stressed in front of a U.S. Senate committee Thursday the importance of mitigation efforts, such as strengthening building codes and hardening homes, as the experts discussed how prices in the property insurance market have soared because of recent natural disasters across the country.
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May 01, 2025
Insurance Litigation Week In Review
The Fourth Circuit upheld Kaiser Gypsum Co. Inc.s Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan, insurers for the Suquamish Tribe further urged the U.S. Supreme Court to review their tribal jurisdiction dispute and the Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a McDonalds franchisees bid for coverage. Here, 做厙輦⑹ takes a look at the past week's top insurance news.
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May 01, 2025
Foster Care Insurance Costs Surge Amid Abuse Claims
Foster care agencies have faced increased costs of general liability insurance and with insurers hesitant to write policies for these entities in certain states, experts point to the need for legislative reform and regulation all while trying to prevent further trauma for children.
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May 01, 2025
Pierson Ferdinand Adds Insurance Group With New Atty
The rapidly growing firm of Pierson Ferdinand LLP announced Thursday that it tapped a new partner who was previously with Carlton Fields to launch an international insurance regulatory team practice along with another Los Angeles-based attorney.
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May 01, 2025
4th Circ. To Mull Towers Watson's Bump-Up Exclusion Appeal
The Fourth Circuit will have another chance to interpret the language of so-called bump-up exclusions when it hears oral arguments next week in Towers Watson's long-running dispute to secure $54 million in directors and officers coverage for settlements resolving shareholder litigation. Here, 做厙輦⑹ breaks down the case in advance of the May 6 hearing.
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April 30, 2025
Underwriters Seek Exit From $37M FTC Dispute With Loan Co.
Underwriters asked a California federal court on Wednesday to find that they did not have to defend a company accused by the Federal Trade Commission of bilking consumers out of at least $37 million through a credit scheme designed to trick consumers into taking on debt.
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April 30, 2025
Schools Say Norfolk Southern Ducked Postderailment Pledge
The school district for East Palestine, Ohio, filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Norfolk Southern, claiming the railroad hasn't made good on its promises to help the district recover after a fiery derailment shook the town in 2023.
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April 29, 2025
HR Co. Execs Say Insurance Biz Can't Sue Companies It Owns
Executives of a human resources management and staffing company urged a Florida federal court to toss a lawsuit brought by its workers' compensation insurance manager alleging it's owed $25 million over a dissipated collateral fund, saying the litigation is "collusive" because the parent company controls the entities it's suing.
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April 29, 2025
Insurer Denies Extra $5M For Event Co.'s Injury Dispute
An insurer for a motocross event organizer doesn't owe an additional $5 million in coverage on top of the $1 million it already paid to settle a suit over a child's injury at an amateur national motocross championship event, the carrier told an Ohio federal court.
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April 28, 2025
Estate Sues Insurer Over 'Paltry' Offer In DUI Death Case
The estate of a motorcyclist killed by a driver allegedly overserved at a Washington bar has sued to force the bar's specialty insurance company to cover a partial settlement in an underlying wrongful death suit.
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April 25, 2025
Benefits Co. Failed To Protect Personal Info, Suit Says
An employee benefits administrator failed to properly secure and safeguard private information of benefits recipients, including their names and Social Security numbers, that was later compromised in a data breach, according to a proposed class action in Maryland federal court.
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April 24, 2025
Ill. Justices' Pollution Exclusion Review Could Realign Courts
The Illinois Supreme Court's agreement to consider whether pollution exclusions in standard-form commercial general liability policies apply to industrial emissions allowed under a regulatory permit could potentially provide certainty on the issue and realign Illinois' interpretation with other state courts, experts say.
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April 24, 2025
Insurer Says No Coverage For Nursing Home Negligence Deal
An insurer shouldn't have to pay for a settlement that a healthcare management company reached following a nearly $3.3 million jury verdict in an underlying nursing home negligence suit, the carrier told a Washington federal court, saying the company settled without its consent.
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April 24, 2025
Shopify Privacy Ruling May Spark New Wave Of Litigation
A Ninth Circuit ruling that revived a suit alleging Shopify violated privacy laws using tracking software cleared a key procedural bar that could open the floodgates to a new wave of litigation, threatening to strain an insurance market already tested by privacy suit claims.
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April 24, 2025
Insurance Litigation Week In Review
California property owners affected by recent wildfires accused hundreds of insurers of collusion, Colorado's justices said no exception exists to the state's economic loss rule for willful and wanton conduct claims, and a California federal judge questioned insurers' bid to litigate coverage for injury claims against Meta in Delaware. Here, 做厙輦⑹ takes a look at the past week's top insurance news.
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April 24, 2025
Pest Co.'s Ex-Employee Not Covered In Child Assault Suit
An insurer for a pest control company needn't cover a suit alleging a former employee assaulted a minor whom he recruited to work at the business, a Mississippi federal court ruled, finding that neither the employee nor his insulation company is insured under any available insurance policy.
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April 24, 2025
Law Prof Pushes For Regulating Sustainability In Insurance
Consumers should have more information about the sustainability features of their ordinary insurance products, but existing regulations in the United Kingdom and Europe don't encourage transparency or innovation of sustainable-minded products. Franziska Arnold-Dwyer, an associate law professor at University College London, spoke to 做厙輦⑹ about sustainability in insurance and her recent paper on the matter.
Expert Analysis
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Evidence Rule May Expand Use Of Out-Of-Court Statements
A proposed amendment to Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(1)(A) would broaden the definition of nonhearsay, reflects a more pragmatic approach to regulating the admissibility of out-of-court statements by declarant-witnesses, and could help level the playing field between prosecutors and criminal defendants, say attorneys at Hangley Aronchick.
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The Math Of Cross-Examination: Less Is More, More Is Less
When conducting cross-examination at trial, attorneys should remember that less is more, and more is less limiting both the scope of questioning and the length of each query in order to control the witnesss testimony and keep the factfinders attention, says Thomas Innes at the Defender Association of Philadelphia.
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Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises
No comment is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.
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Tools For Witness Control That Go Beyond Leading Questions
Though leading questions can be efficient and effective for constraining a witnesss testimony, this strategy isnt appropriate for every trial and pretrial scenario, so techniques like headlining and looping can be deployed during direct examination, depositions and even witness interviews, says Allison Rocker at Baker McKenzie.
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Del. Justices' D&O Ruling Clarifies 'Related' Claim Analysis
In its recent decision in the Alexion Pharmaceuticals coverage case, the Delaware Supreme Court adopted a "meaningful linkage" standard for relatedness analysis, providing further guidance to Delaware policyholders on how to navigate those directors and officers insurance disputes, say attorneys at Hunton.
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4 Do's And Don'ts For Trial Lawyers Using Generative AI
Trial attorneys who use artificial intelligence tools should review a few key reminders, from the likelihood that prompts are discoverable to the rapid evolution of court rules, to safeguard against embarrassing missteps, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.
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5 Argument Techniques For Policyholder Advocates
Winning insurance coverage disputes often comes down to who has articulated the more compelling interpretation of the relevant policy language, which is why the best policyholder advocates come back to certain tried and true argument approaches, says Greg Van Houten at Haynes Boone.
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Improving Comms Between Trial Attys And Tech Witnesses
In major litigation involving complex technology, attorneys should employ certain strategies to collaborate with companies' technical personnel more effectively to enhance both the attorney's understanding of the subject matter and the expert's ability to provide effective testimony in court, say attorneys at Buchalter.
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Del. Ruling Further Narrows Scope Of 'Bump-Up' Exclusion
The recent Delaware Superior Court ruling in Harman International v. Illinois National Insurance offers a critical framework for interpreting bump-up exclusions in management liability insurance policies, and follows the case law trend of narrow interpretation of such exclusions, says Simone Haugen at Tressler.
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A View Of The Shifting Insurance Regulatory Landscape
Attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland explore how the Federal Insurance Office's climate report, the new presidential administration and the California wildfires might affect the insurance regulatory landscape.
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Best Practices To Optimize Cybersecurity Insurance
As cyberthreats continue to evolve, the risks associated with third-party vendor breaches are an increasing concern, so businesses must not only reevaluate their internal cybersecurity insurance, but also take proactive steps to evaluate and manage the risks posed by their third-party relationships, say attorneys at Reed Smith.
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Courts Should Nix Conferencing Rule In 1 Discovery Scenario
Parties are generally required to meet and confer to resolve a discovery dispute before bringing a related motion, but courts should dispense with this conferencing requirement when a party fails to specify a time by which it will complete its production, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law.
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Top Considerations For Insurance Companies In 2025
As insurance industry participants look to plan for the year, regulatory changes, climate-related challenges, the ongoing effects of social inflation and the potential for significant mergers and acquisitions will be among the key items for insurer boards and management to have on their radar, say attorneys at Debevoise.