Property

  • September 26, 2024

    AIG Ghost Gun Win Shows Potential Tort Coverage Difficulties

    A New York federal court's finding that AIG has no duty to defend a Texas-based firearms retailer against allegations it contributed to gun violence by selling "ghost gun" components could make getting coverage for mass torts more difficult based on theories of negligence.

  • September 26, 2024

    Hinshaw Adds Insurance Atty Pair In Los Angeles

    Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP has announced a pair of experienced insurance attorneys, one of them a former in-house counsel with the California Department of Insurance, have joined the firm's Los Angeles office.

  • September 26, 2024

    NY Appeals Court Casts Doubt On $489M Trump Judgment

    Judges on a New York state appeals court expressed skepticism Thursday of a $489 million civil fraud judgment against Donald Trump, his sons, companies and their executives, raising the prospect that the fine awarded to the attorney general could be reduced or vacated.

  • September 25, 2024

    Fla. Condo's Irma Suit Dismissed After Settlement With Insurer

    A Florida federal court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by a Fort Myers Beach condominium association after it settled with an insurance company for an appraisal award that was allegedly owed for damage caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

  • September 25, 2024

    Fla., Calif. Seek Insurance Cures On Climate Crisis Frontlines

    California and Florida may be on opposite coasts, and opposite ends of the political spectrum, but they're facing a common dilemma: how to address the stress that mounting climate risks have imposed on property insurance and real estate within their borders.

  • September 25, 2024

    Insurer Can't Escape Coverage Of $10M NY Infant Injury Suit

    A New York federal court ruled Wednesday that an insurer had to face certain claims brought by a general contractor seeking defense coverage for $10 million underlying litigation blaming it for negligently injuring an infant with falling sheetrock while working in his home.

  • September 25, 2024

    NC Judge Limits $5.6M Hurricane Claims In Part Over Deadline

    A North Carolina federal court found that a property owner awarded $5.6 million following hurricane damages could continue its breach of contract case against an insurer for alleged underpayment for 2016 Hurricane Matthew damages, though its claims for 2018 Hurricane Florence damages were time-barred.

  • September 25, 2024

    Dept. Asks Mich. Justices To Tackle Unitary Tax Case

    The Michigan Supreme Court should review an appellate court decision that found that insurance companies that are part of Nationwide should file their taxes as a unitary group because the case poses a significant public impact, the state Treasury Department said.

  • September 24, 2024

    Lloyd's Units Seek To Keep $3.4M Yacht Dispute Alive

    A group of Lloyd's syndicates and underwriters urged a Washington federal court to reject a yacht builder's bid to avoid reimbursing them for the $3.4 million in coverage they paid after a luxury yacht suffered severe damage when a mobile boat hoist failed during an August 2020 vessel launch.

  • September 24, 2024

    Calif. Panel Frees Insurer From $7.5M Dog Attack Judgment

    A California appeals court panel affirmed an insurer didn't owe any part of a $7.5 million judgment for a dog attack, finding a homeowner's policy excluding coverage for injuries caused by a pit bull clearly applied to the homeowner's sister's dog, Bugzy.

  • September 23, 2024

    Adjuster Has No Duty To Insured In La. Hurricane Row

    A Louisiana federal judge ruled Monday that an insurance adjuster can't be dragged into a third-party demand by a nursing facility property owner over Hurricane Ida damage to its New Orleans location, finding that only "in very rare circumstances" would the adjuster have any duty to an insured.

  • September 20, 2024

    5th Circ. Reverses Insurer's Early Win In Silo Damage Dispute

    The Fifth Circuit reversed an insurer's early win in a coverage dispute with an agricultural cooperative over damage to two grain silos, instead finding that questions remained about whether wind and weather damage because of faulty construction qualified as property damage under the policy.

  • September 20, 2024

    Insurers Say Ky. House Damage Wasn't From Mine Collapse

    Insurers told a Kentucky federal court to toss a couple's case seeking compensation for damage to their home because of coal mine subsidence, arguing the damage wasn't caused by a collapsing void underground.

  • September 20, 2024

    Mandarin Oriental Can Proceed With COVID Coverage Suit

    A New York federal judge declined to toss a COVID-19 business interruption lawsuit by luxury international hotel chain Mandarin Oriental, holding that the chain sufficiently alleged that its loss was caused by an infectious disease under the terms outlined in its "all risks" policy.

  • September 19, 2024

    Insurance Litigation Week In Review

    The Ninth Circuit upheld tribal jurisdiction over the Suquamish Tribe's COVID-19 coverage claims, a New York federal court ruled that an insured's untimely notice doomed its coverage bid and a tax court rejected an oil leasing company's $1.1 million deduction for what the company called a "microcaptive insurance" program. Here, Law360 takes a look at the past week's top insurance news.

  • September 19, 2024

    9th Circ. Won't Revive Hilton Builder's $7.5M Insurance Suit

    Two insurers for a construction company have no duty to provide coverage for a more than $7.5 million water damage claim, the Ninth Circuit ruled Thursday, finding a rain damage exclusion in the company's policies is applicable.

  • September 18, 2024

    Insurers Demand Arbitration Of La. Storm Damage At 2nd Circ.

    A Second Circuit panel puzzled over whether to uphold a New York federal court's ruling denying surplus insurers arbitration in a Louisiana hurricane damage case, during oral arguments over whether the court should follow Bayou State law prohibiting arbitration or reverse the lower court's decision.

  • September 18, 2024

    Climate's Toll On Property Insurance May Spur Broader Action

    A flurry of state and local policymaking has sought to reconcile building needs with worsening weather events and rising construction and insurance costs, but this patchwork approach may soon be blanketed by federal action as financial stakeholders' analysis of climate risk evolves.

  • September 16, 2024

    Fla. Condo Settles With Insurer Over Hurricane Ian Damage

    A Florida condominium association seeking more than $1 million in coverage for property damage caused by a 2022 hurricane has settled with insurer Clear Blue Specialty Insurance Co.

  • September 13, 2024

    The 2024 Regional Powerhouses

    The law firms on Law360's list of 2024 Regional Powerhouses reflected the local peculiarities of their states while often representing clients in deals and cases that captured national attention.

  • September 12, 2024

    Towers Watson Can't Duck Bump-Up Exclusion, 4th Circ. Told

    Towers Watson's latest effort to get its directors and officers insurers to fund a $75 million settlement in a shareholder suit over its merger with Willis should be tossed, the insurers told the Fourth Circuit, saying the bump-up exclusion unambiguously applies to bar coverage.

  • September 10, 2024

    London Reinsurance Sector Grew To £11B In 2023

    The value of reinsurance transactions written in the London company insurance market grew by 33% in 2023 on the back of a harder pricing environment, according to figures published Tuesday by a trade body.

  • September 09, 2024

    No Coverage For BNSF In Flood Suit, Travelers Says

    Two Travelers units told a California federal court that they owe no additional insured coverage to railway giant BNSF over claims that a track relocation project it undertook caused significant flooding on a property owner's land.

  • September 09, 2024

    Chinese Reinsurers Can't Exit Reimbursement Suit Yet

    Two property insurers properly served Chinese reinsurers with their suit alleging that they owe more than $43 million in unpaid reinsurance claims, an Iowa federal court ruled, rejecting the reinsurers' argument that under the Hague Convention the insurers had to instead serve their suit via China's central authority. 

  • September 06, 2024

    Red Lobster Landlord Sues Zurich Over $1.2M Fire Payment

    The owner of a property leased to Red Lobster said a Zurich unit negligently failed to name the owner on settlement checks issued to the eatery after a fire, telling a New Jersey federal court the failure allowed Red Lobster to avoid using the $1.2 million to make repairs.

Expert Analysis

  • 3 Coverage Tips As 2nd Circ. 'Swipes Left' On Tinder Claim

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    The Second Circuit's recent opinion in Match Group v. Beazley Underwriting, overturning Tinder's victory on its insurer's motion to dismiss a coverage action, reinforces three best practices policyholders purchasing claims-made coverage should adhere to in order to avoid late-notice defenses, say Lynda Bennett and Alexander Corson at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • What To Know About Insurance Coverage For Antitrust Risks

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    With all the regulatory activity surrounding antitrust and unfair competition claims, as highlighted by last month's D.C. federal court decision that Google is a monopolist, businesses must not only ensure compliance, but also understand their potential insurance coverage when such claims arise, says Micah Skidmore at Haynes Boone.

  • Keys To Successful Commercial Property Insurance Claims

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    While insurance needs for commercial leasing arrangements are driven by the characteristics of the premises and the nature of the tenants' intended operations, there are several universal best practices landlords and their counsel can follow when making claims after loss or damage.

  • Notable Q2 Updates In Insurance Class Actions

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    Mark Johnson and Mathew Drocton at BakerHostetler discuss the muted nature of the property and casualty insurance class action space in the second quarter of the year, with no large waves made in labor depreciation and total-loss vehicle class actions, but a new offensive theory emerging for insurance companies.

  • Ore. Insurance Litigation Is Testing The Bounds After Moody

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    Despite the Oregon Supreme Court’s attempt to limit application of its 2023 decision in Moody v. Oregon Community Credit Union, which for the first time awarded extracontractual damages stemming from alleged negligent claims handling, recent litigation shows Oregon insurance companies face greater exposure, says Sarah Pozzi at Cozen O’Connor.

  • What's In NYDFS Guidance On Use Of AI In Insurance

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    Matthew Gaul and Shlomo Potesky at Willkie summarize the New York Department of Financial Services' recently adopted circular letter on the use of artificial intelligence in insurance underwriting and pricing, and highlight the material changes made to it in response to comments on the draft circular letter.

  • Lead Like 'Ted Lasso' By Embracing Cognitive Diversity

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    The Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso” aptly illustrates how embracing cognitive diversity can be a winning strategy for teams, providing a useful lesson for law firms, which can benefit significantly from fresh, diverse perspectives and collaborative problem-solving, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.

  • 7th Circ Joins Trend Of No CGL Coverage For Structural Flaws

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    The Seventh Circuit, which recently held potential structural instability did not count as property damage under a construction company's commercial general liability policy, joins a growing consensus that faulty work does not implicate coverage without tangible and present damage to the project, say Sarah Abrams at Baleen Specialty, and Elan Kandel and James Talbert at Bailey Cavalieri.

  • New La. Managing Agent Law May Portend Growing Scrutiny

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    Recent amendments to Louisiana’s managing general agent regulations impose expansive new obligations on such agents and their insurer partners, which may be a sign of heightened regulatory, commercial and rating agency scrutiny, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • What Fla. Ruling Means For Insurer Managed Repair Programs

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    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.

  • NY Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q2

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    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.

  • Takeaways From Justices' Redemption Insurance Decision

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Connelly v. U.S. examines how to determine the fair market value of shares in a closely held company for estate tax purposes, and clarifies how life insurance held by the company to enable redemption of a decedent’s shares affects that calculation, says Evelyn Haralampu at Burns & Levinson.

  • Managing Legal Risks After University Gaza Protests

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    Following the protests sparked by the war in Gaza, colleges and universities should expect a long investigative tail and take steps to mitigate risks associated with compliance issues under various legal frameworks and institutional policies, say Wiley's Diana Shaw and Colin Cloherty.