Specialty Lines

  • February 24, 2026

    Insurer Can't Cap Pizza Chain's Cyberattack Payout At $250K

    A cyber insurer can't rely on a ransomware endorsement to limit Cicis Pizza's claim for coverage of a cyber extortion event to $250,000, a Texas federal court has ruled, saying the policy's $3 million limits are still in play.

  • February 24, 2026

    NC Firm Says Insurers Shirked Coverage For Forgery Loss

    A North Carolina law firm has sued its insurers over coverage for nearly $130,000 it lost as a result of a forged cashier's check and related wire transfer, saying the carriers wrongfully denied coverage despite ample evidence supporting its claim.

  • February 20, 2026

    Insurer Owed Defense In Birth Defect Suit, 9th Circ. Says

    A commercial general liability insurer had a duty to defend a semiconductor manufacturer against an employee's suit claiming that his exposure to chemicals at work caused birth defects in his son, the Ninth Circuit ruled Friday, finding that certain policy exclusions did not unambiguously foreclose coverage.

  • February 20, 2026

    Kaiser Sues Insurers To Tap $95M D&O Policy For Fraud Deal

    Kaiser Foundation Health Plan sued Chubb and other insurers in California federal court Friday seeking to tap $95 million in directors and officers liability coverage for a recently settled whistleblower action that accused Kaiser of submitting false diagnoses for Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees. 

  • February 19, 2026

    How The Camden Diocese Reached A $180M Abuse Deal

    In agreeing to pay $180 million to a trust for clergy sexual abuse survivors, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, and its insurers took a big step toward ending a longtime dispute that put bankruptcy proceedings at the center of victim compensation.

  • February 19, 2026

    Alcoa Fights Retirees' Win In Life Insurance Fight At 7th Circ.

    Alcoa USA Corp. is looking to erase its retirees' win in a class action that claimed the aluminum manufacturer illegally cut off their life insurance benefits, telling the Seventh Circuit that the retirees owe their victory to an Indiana federal judge misreading their union contract.

  • February 19, 2026

    Contractor, Insurer Must Defend Rubber Co. In Burn Suit

    An industrial services contractor and its insurer must defend a synthetic rubber manufacturer in an underlying personal injury suit accusing the company of negligently maintaining a pipe that broke and severely burned the contractor's employee, a Texas federal court ruled.

  • February 19, 2026

    Lockton Pro On The State Of Construction Market Insurance

    Law360 Insurance Authority talks to Paul Primavera, U.S. Construction Practice Leader at insurance brokerage Lockton, about new carriers and financial pressures in the insurance market.

  • February 19, 2026

    Doc Fight Delays Trial In $22M McCarter & English Loan Suit

    The delayed disclosure of thousands of documents has created "a lot of prejudice" against McCarter & English as it fights a $22.5 million professional malpractice lawsuit, and the impending trial must be pushed back again, a Connecticut state judge said Thursday.

  • February 19, 2026

    Travelers Must Defend Ag Co.'s Herbicide Suit, With Limits

    A Delaware state judge has found that Travelers Casualty and Surety Co. must fund the defense of an agricultural chemical company in six suits alleging that a chemical made by its predecessors gave users Parkinson's and kidney failure but that its defense can be limited under some of the policies at issue.

  • February 19, 2026

    Insurance Litigation Week In Review

    The Texas Supreme Court on “windstorms,” the Fourth Circuit on a construction company settlement, and a split Fifth Circuit backs State Farm in a sewage damage dispute. Law360 looks at the past week's top insurance news.

  • February 18, 2026

    4th Circ. Rejects Under Armour's Coverage Rehearing Request

    The Fourth Circuit on Wednesday rejected Under Armour's request to reconsider a recent ruling that capped its coverage for a securities class action, government investigations and derivative matters at $100 million.

  • February 18, 2026

    McCarter & English Seeks Delay, Toss Of $22M Ethics Case

    McCarter & English LLP doubled down on its bid to sink a $22.3 million professional negligence lawsuit by two insurance companies, arguing document production delays warrant nonsuit and that the court should, at the very least, push back a March trial date approaching in the case.

  • February 18, 2026

    NC City Not Covered In Wrongful Conviction Suit, Court Told

    An insurer claimed it has no duty to defend or indemnify a city government or one of its police detectives against a civil suit brought by a man who was wrongfully convicted of the 2008 murder of a University of North Carolina student, the insurer told a North Carolina federal court.

  • February 17, 2026

    Blackbaud To Face Revived Data Breach Subrogation Suits

    Delaware's highest court has revived a bid by a group of insurers to recover expenses incurred for clients of Blackbaud Inc. following a major ransomware attack on the software developer's systems, saying the insurers adequately alleged that Blackbaud breached agreements to protect the clients' sensitive data.

  • February 12, 2026

    Calif. Automation Rules Highlight Insurance AI Challenges

    A new set of California consumer protection regulations governing automated decision-making is raising concerns among insurance and privacy professionals, who see an increasingly fragmented enforcement landscape even as insurers and policyholders grow more savvy with artificial intelligence.

  • February 12, 2026

    Calif. FAIR Plan Bill Could Recast Role Of Last-Resort Insurer

    A California bill seeking to expand the coverage available through the state's money-challenged FAIR Plan is fueling debate over the role of the last-resort insurer following deadly fires last year in Los Angeles.

  • February 12, 2026

    Calif. Insurance Chief Backs Smoke Standards Bill

    California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced his support Wednesday for a bill that would establish the nation's first public health and insurance claims standard for homes damaged by smoke contamination.

  • February 12, 2026

    McCarter & English Can't Tank $22M Suit, Insurer Says

    Two insurance companies have urged a Connecticut Superior Court judge to maintain a $22.3 million professional negligence lawsuit against McCarter & English LLP, saying document production delays don't warrant killing the case less than a month before trial.

  • February 12, 2026

    Insurance Litigation Week In Review

    A California court expands policy disclosure requirements for auto insurers, an opioid insurer decision in Pennsylvania, and a New York decision on litigation coverage for an herb supplier. Law360 looks at the past week's top insurance news.

  • February 11, 2026

    Insurer Must Defend Real Estate Firm Against Copyright Suit

    An insurer must defend a real estate company against claims that it infringed an architect's copyright in marketing materials for a newly-built home, a Massachusetts federal court ruled, finding that an exclusion for misappropriated property does not apply to bar coverage.

  • February 09, 2026

    Nationwide ERISA 401(k) Class Action Heads To Bench Trial

    Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. must face a trimmed class action pursued by employee 401(k) plan participants alleging mismanagement, an Ohio federal judge ruled in an opinion unsealed Monday, telling the parties to prepare for a bench trial on the surviving claims.

  • February 09, 2026

    Insurers Sued Over Nix Of $4M Coverage In Competition Fight

    A Florida luxury vehicle company locked in a lawsuit with a competitor alleging deceptive trade practices was wrongfully denied insurance coverage under a directors and officers policy, forcing the auto company to fork out more than $4 million in defense costs, it told a Florida federal court. 

  • February 06, 2026

    NY Law Firm Can't Pause Client's R&W Coverage Arbitration

    A New York state court rejected a law firm's request to pause arbitration related to a buyer-side representations and warranties policy that the firm's client issued to a bank, saying the firm lacked standing to seek a stay because it is a stranger to the arbitration proceedings.

  • February 06, 2026

    Insurer Gets Counterclaims Tossed In Pot Co. Fire Dispute

    A Maryland federal judge has dismissed counterclaims against Knight Specialty Insurance Co. in a suit over coverage of a fire that destroyed an insured's cannabis crop, while striking the cannabis grower's answer to the initial complaint.

Expert Analysis

  • Justices' Med Mal Ruling May Spur Huge Shift For Litigators

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in the medical malpractice suit Berk v. Choy, holding that a Florida procedural requirement does not apply to medical malpractice claims filed in federal court, is likely to encourage eligible parties to file claims in federal court, speed the adjudicatory process and create both opportunities and challenges for litigators, says Thomas Kroeger at Colson Hicks.

  • Cybersecurity Must Remain Financial Sector's Focus In 2026

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    In 2026, financial institutions face a wave of more prescriptive cybersecurity legal requirements demanding clearer governance, faster incident reporting, and stronger oversight of third-party and AI-driven risks, making it crucial to understand these issues before they materialize into crises, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Reel Justice: 'Die My Love' And The Power Of Visuals At Trial

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    The powerful use of imagery to capture the protagonist’s experience of postpartum depression in “Die My Love” reminds attorneys that visuals at trial can persuade jurors more than words alone, so they should strategically wield a new federal evidence rule allowing for illustrative aids, says Veronica Finkelstein at Wilmington University.

  • ISO's 'Litigation Funding Mutual Disclosure' Is Unenforceable

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    The Insurance Services Office has recently rolled out a "litigation funding mutual disclosure" form for optional use in policies, but the form is not only unnecessary but also unenforceable for four reasons, says Fiona Chaney at Omni Bridgeway.

  • 7 Predictions For Cyber Risk And Insurance In 2026

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    In 2026, cyber risk and insurance will be shaped by developments such as the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, ongoing privacy litigation and evolving regulatory requirements, as organizations that integrate AI into their operations contend with new vulnerabilities and a legal landscape that demands greater vigilance and adaptability, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • Insights From 2025's Flood Of Data Breach Litigation

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    Several coherent patterns emerged from 2025's data breach litigation activity, suggesting that judges have grown skilled at distinguishing between companies that were genuinely victimized by sophisticated criminal actors despite reasonable precautions, and those whose security practices invited exploitation, says Frederick Livingston at McDonald Baas.

  • 2026 State AI Bills That Could Expand Liability, Insurance Risk

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    State bills legislating artificial intelligence that are expected to pass in 2026 will reshape the liability landscape for all companies incorporating AI solutions into their business operations, as any novel private rights of action authorized under AI-related statutes signal expanding exposures, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • Athlete's Countersuit Highlights Broader NIL Coverage Issues

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    Former University of Georgia football player Damon Wilson's countersuit against the university's athletic association over a name, image and likeness contract offers an early view into how NIL disputes — and the attendant coverage implications — may metastasize once institutions step fully into the role of contracting and enforcement parties, says Sarah Abrams at Baleen Specialty.

  • Key Trends In PFAS Regulation And Litigation For 2026

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    As 2026 begins, the legal and regulatory outlook for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances is defined less by sweeping federal initiatives and more by incremental adjustments, judicial guardrails and state-driven regulations — an environment in which proactive risk management and close monitoring of policy developments will be essential, say attorneys at MG+M.

  • Maximizing Cyberinsurance Coverage In 2026

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    One of the most significant risks policyholders face in 2026 is the risk of loss caused by infiltration of their computer systems or manipulation of their employees through the use of computers, highlighting the need for a comprehensive cyberinsurance policy review, say attorneys at Cohen Ziffer.

  • Judges Carry Onus To Screen Expert Opinions Before Juries

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    Recent Second Circuit arguments in Acetaminophen Products Liability Litigation implied a low bar for judicial gatekeeping of expert testimony, but under amended Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence, judges must rigorously scrutinize expert opinions before allowing them to reach juries, says Lee Mickus at Evans Fears.

  • 4 California Insurance Law Decisions To Know From 2025

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    California continued to shape the national insurance landscape in 2025, issuing a series of decisions that may recalibrate claims handling, underwriting strategy and policy drafting in areas from property damage claims after a wildfire to automobile coverage for delivery drivers in the gig economy, say attorneys at Nicolaides Fink.

  • 5 Coverage Considerations For Couture And Cosmetics Cos.

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    Fashion, beauty and cosmetic companies getting ready for 2026 shouldn't neglect important insurance considerations, including stand-alone policies for specialized risk and check-ins with supply chain partners on policy requirements, say attorneys at K&L Gates.