Specialty Lines

  • 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, Law360 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, Law360 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.

  • March 31, 2025

    Progressive Says Motorcycles Aren't 'Autos' For Crash Claims

    Progressive asked a North Carolina federal court to declare it does not owe bodily injury coverage to a woman who was hurt while riding as a passenger on a motorcycle that went off the road, arguing in its new complaint that the motorcycle is not an "auto" for "auto accident" coverage.

  • March 28, 2025

    AIG Unit Wins No-Defense Ruling For NY Ghost Gun Suits

    An AIG unit has no duty to defend a Washington-state-based firearms retailer in three underlying lawsuits accusing the retailer of knowingly selling unfinished components that could be used to assemble what are commonly known as ghost guns, a New York federal court ruled, finding the complaints do not allege accidental conduct.

  • March 28, 2025

    LA Zoo Org. Not Covered In City Contract Row, Insurer Says

    An insurer has no duty to defend or indemnify the Los Angeles Zoo's nonprofit arm in a contractual dispute brought by the city, the carrier told a California federal court, saying claims arising out of a breach of contract or related to the association's professional services are excluded.

  • March 28, 2025

    Insurer Denied Early Win In $6.1M Cargo Loss Coverage Suit

    A New York federal judge said there was too much controversy to hand an early win to a stone company in its case seeking coverage of a more than $6.1 million loss over marble destroyed by a snail infestation. 

Expert Analysis

  • Del. Insurance Co. Liquidation Reveals Recovery Strategies

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    Arrowood's recent liquidation in the Delaware Chancery Court offers a positive development for policyholders and claimants, providing access to guaranty association protections amid the company's demise, say Timothy Law and Ann Kramer at Reed Smith.

  • The Basics Of Law Firm Cyber Liability Insurance Applications

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    Cyber liability insurance has become a common consideration for law firms as cyber threats have escalated, but these insurance forms can be quite complicated given the nature of the industry and associated risks, so simply filling out the form won't necessarily result in an ideal policy for your firm, says Kevin Haight at WAMS.

  • Insurance Considerations For Cos. Assessing New AI Risks

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    Because no two businesses will have the same artificial intelligence risk profile, they should consider four broad risk categories as a baseline for taking a proactive approach to guarding against AI-related exposures, say attorneys at Hunton.

  • AI Brings New Insurance Concerns For Healthcare Providers

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    As the healthcare industry increasingly invests in medical artificial intelligence tools, it confronts a variety of liability risks that necessitate careful consideration and potential recalibration of providers' insurance programs, say Marialuisa Gallozzi and Megan Mumford Myers at Covington.

  • 3 AI Regulation Developments Insurers Must Follow

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    Insurance regulators continue to actively develop regulations and guidance on the use of artificial intelligence, so insurers should be aware of recent developments from the Colorado Division of Insurance, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and the New York Department of Financial Services, say attorneys at Willkie.

  • Deal Over Jets Stranded In Russia May Serve As Blueprint

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    In the face of a pending "mega-trial" over leased airplanes held in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, a settlement between leading aviation lessor AerCap Holdings NV and NSK, the Russian state-controlled insurance company, could pave the way for similar deals, say Samantha Zaozirny and Timeyin Pinnick at Browne Jacobson.

  • How Shareholder Activists Are Targeting Insurers

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    As shareholder activists take a closer look at the insurance industry, they are pushing insurers to take value-enhancing and climate-related measures — but insurers can prepare by anticipating activist concerns, maintaining robust shareholder engagement, and considering changes in response to the universal proxy rules, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Unlocking Value In Carve-Out M&A Transactions

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    Some of the largest mergers and acquisitions in 2023 were carve-out transactions, and despite their unique intricacies and challenges, these transactions offer both buyers and sellers the opportunity to generate outsized returns in an otherwise vigorously competitive landscape, when carefully planned and diligently executed, say Kevin Crews and Rami Totari at Kirkland.

  • Tips For Negotiating Strong D&O Insurance Protection

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    D&O insurance is often the last line of defense for the personal assets of a director or officer, so taking the time to negotiate improvements to their D&O policies and ensuring that the coverage is appropriate for the insureds' risk profile can greatly improve the chances that their policies will protect them when they need coverage the most, says Thomas Bentz at Holland & Knight.

  • Insurers Should Prepare For 'Black Swan' Climate Disasters

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    As rapid climate change results in increased risk of casualties and property loss from rare, severe weather events, the insurance industry should take five crucial steps toward evolving and continuing operations, including advanced analytic techniques and investments in alternative energy sources, say Stephen Brown and Irena Maier at Wilson Elser.

  • 3 Quirks Of New Jersey Insurance Coverage Law

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    There are a multitude of state-specific requirements and nuances that make New Jersey insurance law unique, including in the areas of duty to defend, reservation of rights and bad faith, say attorneys at Goldberg Segalla.

  • How Del. 'Arising Out Of' Ruling May Affect Insurance Cases

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    The Delaware Supreme Court decision in Ace American Insurance v. Guaranteed Rate focused on a professional services exclusion, but the ruling has wide-ranging application in insurance coverage disputes involving any exclusions that employ "arising out of" or similar prefatory language, say Keith McKenna and Maria Brinkmann at Cohen Ziffer.

  • Assessing D&O Coverage Amid Challenges To DEI Policies

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    As the recent backlash against corporate diversity, equity and inclusion policies leads to shareholder litigation and other legal challenges, companies bolstering their DEI efforts should ensure that their directors and officers and employment practices' liability insurance policies provide sufficient coverage for potential claims, say Peter Gillon and Patrick Blood at Pillsbury.