In the intricate landscape of catastrophic trucking cases and the interplay of multiple layers of liability insurance can resemble a precarious game of Jenga. Each move carries the potential to destabilize the structure,...more
New York’s Highest Court Holds That Portion Of Premium Need Not Be Refunded For Death During Policy Period Of Universal Life Policy- The Joan C. Lupe Family Trust purchased a policy under which Lincoln Life and Annuity...more
Court Holds That Insurer Was Not Volunteer And May Seek Subrogation From Other Insurer But That Other Insurer’s Policy Is Excess- Walter Breitenbach, who was insured by Adirondack Insurance, struck a pedestrian with his...more
Majestic Rayon Corporation, a family business that manages the family’s real estate, obtained an insurance policy from Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company that included supplementary uninsured/ under-insured motorists...more
Kidnapping, treasure hunts, insurgents shooting down airplanes — sounds like the Fall TV lineup. But no, it’s our October Insurance Update. And in honor of the month’s most treasured sporting event, the Fall Classic, we...more
Our language around settlements connotes war and peace – in settling we are “buying our peace” or “ceasing hostilities.” The old saw is that a good settlement leaves no one satisfied, but in truth, a good settlement leaves...more
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (“Court”) addressed in a January 17th opinion a company’s umbrella insurance policy’s absolute pollution exclusion. See Eastern Concrete Materials, Inc., v. Ace...more
In a sweeping decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit extended the absolute pollution exclusion to the unplanned discharge of “rock fines,” pellets produced during quarry operations, and denied coverage for...more
On remand from the Second Circuit, the Northern District of New York was asked to determine whether Utica Mutual Insurance Co. (the cedent) had a defense obligation under its umbrella policies. If it did, then Utica would be...more
To welcome the New Year, we venture outside this blog’s traditional realm of commercial division practice and procedure to reflect on the nature of “intent” at the intersection of professional wrestling and insurer coverage...more
In Gonzalez v. Fire Insurance Exchange (No. H039368, filed 2/5/15), a California appeals court ruled that a personal umbrella policy's broader coverage gave rise to a duty to defend sexual molestation allegations that were...more
In a decisively pro-policyholder decision issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in IMG Worldwide, Inc. v. Westchester Fire Ins. Co., Nos. 13-3832, 13-3837 (6th Cir. July 15, 2014), the court...more