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Specialty Lines

  • April 09, 2025

    Insurer Settles Suit Blaming Bank Consultant For Data Breach

    National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh has settled a suit accusing a Washington-based consultant of security lapses after the personal data of over 10,000 bank customers ended up online, according to new filings in Evergreen State court.

  • April 09, 2025

    Underwriters Owe $2.6M For Damaged Ship Loader, Co. Says

    A seller of ship loaders said its underwriters owe it an additional $2.6 million for a piece of equipment that was damaged en route to Canada, telling a Washington federal court that the carriers have breached their obligations under a marine all-risk cargo policy.

  • April 09, 2025

    Claims Trimmed In Firm's Suit Over Sports Fraud Coverage

    A Florida federal court tossed more than half the claims a law firm raised against an AIG unit for allegedly misleading them into representing a sports memorabilia collector in underlying civil and criminal fraud cases without payment, finding claims against the unit either premature, duplicative or insufficiently pled. 

  • April 09, 2025

    Insurer, Flight School Agree Training Suit Isn't Covered

    An insurer has no duty to defend or indemnify a flight school accused in an underlying suit of misrepresenting the education and training that students enrolled in a flight program would receive, according to a consent agreement approved by a North Carolina federal court.

  • April 08, 2025

    4th Circ. Won't Revisit Ambiguous Endorsement Ruling

    The Fourth Circuit on Monday declined to review its ruling that a South Carolina district court erred by finding that an endorsement unambiguously applied to cap an aluminum supplier's insurance recovery for a fire loss at $10 million.

  • April 07, 2025

    Insurers Lose Subrogation Suits Over Blackbaud Data Breach

    Several insurers cannot recoup investigation and credit monitoring expenses they covered for their insureds following a 2020 ransomware attack against Blackbaud, a Delaware state court ruled, saying two suits by the carriers failed to allege insured-specific facts in order to adequately plead breach of contract claims against the software company.

  • April 07, 2025

    Agriculture Insurer Says Agent Error Cost It Fed. Reinsurance

    A Texas insurance company has taken aim at its insurance agent, claiming that clerical errors cost the company over $1 million after applications for reinsurance were belatedly submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Federal Crop Insurance Corp. amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • April 04, 2025

    Insurance Co. Can't Nix Religious Bias Suit Over Vax Mandate

    A Rhode Island federal judge declined to toss an insurance company worker's suit claiming he was illegally fired for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 for religious reasons, ruling he showed his faith was sincere enough to keep his claims in court.

  • April 03, 2025

    DC Climate Insurance Event Highlights Need For Acute Action

    A group of leading insurance industry regulatory and policy experts convened in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, expressing a need for greater collaboration and resources in order to quickly scale up eco-friendly insurance products and business practices.

  • April 03, 2025

    Crypto Boon Boosts Hopes For Improving Insurance Options

    Cryptocurrencies and digital assets have experienced a recent boon buoyed by a favorable shift in the regulatory environment, prompting more insurers to engage with what was once widely viewed as a volatile and insecure asset class.

  • April 03, 2025

    NY Ghost Gun Win Adds To Concerns Of CGL Policy Breadth

    A New York federal court's ruling that an AIG unit isn't obligated to defend a Washington state firearms retailer accused of knowingly selling unfinished components that could be used to assemble "ghost guns" underscored policyholder attorneys' concerns that commercial general liability coverage continues to narrow, as insurers tally another win in a dispute over intentional conduct.

  • April 03, 2025

    $2M Limits Off Table In Construction Defect Row, Insurer Says

    An insurer for a waterproofing consultant and architecture firm said its policy's $2 million aggregate limit does not apply to a condo association's underlying construction defect claims, telling a Florida federal court that the claims count as a single occurrence subject to a $1 million limit.

  • April 03, 2025

    Law Firm Says Insurer Shorted On Defense Of Blackmail Suit

    A law firm accused by a Florida state judge of causing her emotional distress via blackmail is suing its insurer, alleging the insurer underpaid the firm's defense counsel by nearly $600,000 in connection with the settled underlying lawsuit she filed.

  • April 03, 2025

    Insurance Litigation Week In Review

    An AIG unit needn't defend a firearms retailer accused of contributing to gun violence by selling "ghost gun" components, another AIG insurer doesn't owe coverage for a tribe's COVID-19-related losses and a class of Progressive policyholders sought final approval of a $43 million vehicle settlement over vehicle valuations. Here, °µÍø½ûÇø takes a look at the past week's top insurance news.

  • April 03, 2025

    CGL Loss Hikes Highlight Underwriting, Tort Reform Efforts

    Liability premiums continue to rise as a result of insurers' escalating loss trends, according to insurance broker Lockton's quarterly market update, and as social inflation continues to impact the United States' market, industry experts heed Lockton's concerns over stricter underwriting practices and the debate surrounding tort reform.

  • April 03, 2025

    Insurance Pros Size Up Major Industry Risks At NYC Forum

    The influence of litigation financing, artificial intelligence and climate change on insurance law were among key topics this week as insurance experts discussed the biggest risks in the property and casualty space. Here, °µÍø½ûÇø breaks down highlights of remarks by attorneys and industry experts at the Practising Law Institute in New York.

  • April 02, 2025

    Insurer Says $9M OpenText Merger Settlement Not Covered

    An insurer said it is not obligated to contribute to a $9 million settlement in a shareholder class action stemming from Covisint's 2017 merger with software company OpenText, telling a Michigan federal court that the settlement does not constitute a covered loss.

  • April 02, 2025

    Potbelly Says Insurer Must Cover Wage Transparency Suit

    Sandwich chain owner Potbelly Inc. told a Washington state court that its insurer wrongly refused to cover it in a proposed underlying class action alleging the business violated Washington's wage transparency law by failing to disclose pay and benefit information to job applicants.

  • April 02, 2025

    Insurer Gets Education Co.'s $2.2M Theft Coverage Bid Tossed

    A Maryland federal court tossed an education management company's suit seeking excess coverage for over $2.2 million in employee embezzlement losses, saying the company failed to show its loss occurred during the relevant policy period.

  • April 01, 2025

    Insurer Can't Escape Aerospace Co.'s $3.3M Claim Denial Suit

    An insurer for an aerospace products manufacturer can't escape claims that it wrongfully denied coverage of an approximately $3.3 million loss from fund mismanagement after years of delay, an Oregon federal court ruled.

  • April 01, 2025

    Hartford Unit Freed From Ill. Agency's $4M Wire Fraud Suit

    An Illinois agency that administers the estates of financially distressed insurers can't get coverage from a Hartford unit for a computer system breach that the agency said caused roughly $4 million in outstanding losses, a federal court ruled, finding its claims fall outside an "electronic mail initiated fraud" coverage provision.

  • April 01, 2025

    Chamber, Trade Groups Back Insurer's Class Cert. Review Bid

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and major insurance industry groups urged the U.S. Supreme Court to undo a Ninth Circuit decision allowing a class action to proceed against State Farm over its use of "negotiation adjustments" to calculate payouts for totaled vehicles.

  • April 01, 2025

    Homeowners Premiums Rose 24% In 3 Years, Report Says

    Average homeowners insurance premiums in the United States rose by 24% from 2021 to 2024, a national crisis that is putting pressure on Americans with mortgage burdens, according to a report issued Tuesday by the Consumer Federation of America.

  • March 31, 2025

    Trucking Co. Says Insurers Owe Coverage For BIPA Suit

    A trucking company's insurers owe coverage for underlying litigation brought by a former employee who said the company violated his biometric privacy rights by using a hand-scanning timekeeping system that stored his protected personal data, the company told an Illinois federal court.

  • March 31, 2025

    Insurer Can Limit Rates But Not Counsel In Utility Litigation

    A Swiss Re unit can limit the rates it pays to defend utility company Aqua's successor entity in litigation over alleged lead contamination in a Chicago suburb's water supply, a Pennsylvania federal judge has ruled, adding that the insurer cannot make Aqua change its counsel.

Expert Analysis

  • Best Practices For AI Disclosures In Insurance Applications

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    As businesses integrate AI into their operations, insurers are starting to develop targeted questions to assess the associated risks, but ambiguities in the application forms can create challenges for businesses applying for insurance, say attorneys at Hunton.

  • Teaching Your Witness To Beat The Freeze/Appease Response

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    In addition to fight-or-flight, witnesses may experience the freeze/appease response at trial or deposition — where they become a deer in headlights, agreeing with opposing counsel’s questions and damaging their credibility in the process — but certain strategies can help, says Bill Kanasky at Courtroom Sciences.

  • What Insurers Need To Know About OFAC's Expanded FAQs

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    The Office of Foreign Assets Control's recently expanded insurance FAQs clarify how OFAC views insurance policies in a number of specific circumstances involving sanctioned parties, and make plain that sanctions compliance is the responsibility of all participants in the insurance ecosystem, including underwriters, brokers and agents, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Nevada Justices Could Expand Scope Of Subrogation Claims

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    The Nevada Supreme Court's recent decision to hear North River Insurance v. James River Insurance could expand the scope of equitable subrogation claims in the state by aligning with the California standard, which doesn't require excess insurers to demonstrate damages, says Daniel Heidtke at Duane Morris.

  • How D&O Coverage Can Aid Against Increased AI Scrutiny

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    The recent increase in regulatory enforcement and securities class actions stemming from corporate use of artificial intelligence should prompt companies to ensure that their directors and officers liability insurance coverage is appropriately tailored to AI-related risks, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • 8 Tech Tips For Stress-Free Remote Depositions

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    Court reporter Kelly D’Amico shares practical strategies for attorneys to conduct remote depositions with ease and troubleshoot any issues that arise, as it seems deposition-by-Zoom is here to stay after the pandemic.

  • 4 Ways Attorneys Can Emotionally Prepare For Trial

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    In the course of litigation, trial lawyers face a number of scenarios that can incite an emotional response, but formulating a mental game plan in advance of trial can help attorneys stay cool, calm and collected in the moment, says Rachel Lary at Lightfoot Franklin.

  • Presidential Campaign Errors Provide Lessons For Trial Attys

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    Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign employed numerous strategies that evidently didn’t land, and trial attorneys should take note, because voters and jurors are both decision-makers who are listening for how one’s case presentation would affect them personally, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Putting NYDFS AI Cybersecurity Guidance Into Practice

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    New guidance from the New York Department of Financial Services explains how financial institutions should assess and mitigate cybersecurity risks associated with artificial intelligence, focusing on four main threats and highlighting how varying environments require specific mitigation measures, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.

  • Recent Developments In Insurance Coverage For FCA Claims

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    As the U.S. Department of Justice continues its vigorous False Claims Act enforcement, companies looking to their insurers to help defray the costs of an investigation or settlement should note recent decisions on which types of policies cover FCA claims, which policy periods apply and which portions of FCA-related losses are covered, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Consider The Impact Of Election Stress On Potential Jurors

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    For at least the next few months, potential jurors may be working through anger and distrust stemming from the presidential election, and trial attorneys will need to assess whether those jurors are able to leave their political concerns at the door, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.

  • NC Ruling Takes Practical Approach To Duty-To-Defend Costs

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    In Murphy-Brown v. Ace American Insurance, a case of first impression, the North Carolina Business Court adopted the commonsense rationale of many state courts in holding that policyholders' defense costs should be deemed presumtively reasonable when a insurer breaches its duty to defend, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

  • A Look At Insurance Coverage For Government Investigations

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    Attorneys at Jenner & Block discuss the quirks and potential pitfalls of insurance coverage for government claims and investigations, including those likely to arise from the U.S. Department of Justice's recently announced whistleblower program.