The insured punched and kicked the Claimant, causing injuries. The Claimant sued the insured alleging that the insured assaulted him, and negligently and recklessly caused his injuries. Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance...more
Matthew Ferrie, Partner, is back again to host the newest episode of the Subro Sessions podcast. Bert Davis, Principal for Romauldi, Davidson, & Associates and BDA Engineering, joins Matt for the second episode on...more
The Tenth Circuit recently held that, under Kansas law, an intentional loss exclusion precludes coverage for damage caused by an intentionally set fire even if the actual resulting damage is unintended. In Taylor et al. v. LM...more
Smoke taint has dominated the worries of the California wine industry recent years. With unsettled climate conditions and continued droughts, there is no reason to think that smoke taint will not continue to be a significant...more
In determining when the work product doctrine is triggered, the Northern District of Illinois recently held that, rather than adopting a bright-line rule, the issue should be decided on a case-by-case basis at the court’s...more
California is at the start of another dry year, with increased likelihood that the North Bay will experience another active fire season. Fires are always a risk and they are always unpredictable, spread quickly, and can...more
California is at the start of another dry year, with increased likelihood that the North Bay will experience another active fire season. Fires are always a risk and they are always unpredictable — preparing in advance can...more
When considering a claim’s subrogation potential, insurance carriers are often confronted with contractual waivers of subrogation that potentially bar the claim. One of the most common waivers carriers face are those...more
On May 23, 2020, a massive fire erupted on Pier 45 on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, California. The fire quickly tore through a warehouse near the end of the concrete pier, causing its walls to collapse and firefighters...more
On the afternoon of Monday, May 4, 2020, the Five Mile Swamp fire broke out during a permitted, prescribed 240-acre burn in the Pensacola Bay Mitigation Bank located near Milton, Santa Rosa County, Fla. ...more
Aquatherm, LLC v. CentiMark Corp, 2019 BL 13240 (D. Utah Apr. 12, 2019) - Stag II Lindon LLC and Stag Industrial Inc. (collectively “Stag”) owned a building in Lindon, Utah. Stag contracted with CentiMark Corp....more
Most property insurance policies condition the payment of replacement cost value (RCV) on the property first being replaced or repaired, and courts typically enforce that requirement. ...more
In Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Co. v. Fowlkes Plumbing LLC, 17-cv-010-GHD-DAS, 2018 WL 842169 (N.D. Miss. Feb. 12, 2018), the District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi held that the subrogation waiver of...more
Vacancy exclusions are commonplace in many homeowner policies, and typically exclude coverage for certain types of losses if the home is vacant and/or unoccupied. Litigation involving vacancy exclusions can arise when terms...more
Recently, in Mallek v. Allstate Indem. Co. No. 17-CV-5949-KAM-SJB, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42171 (E.D.N.Y. Mar. 12, 2018) [insert link], a federal magistrate in New York recommended that the Court deny a plaintiff’s motion to...more
Before worrying about an insurance claim, first ensure that you and your family, including pets and extended family, have their immediate needs met, particularly medical needs. When you are ready to begin the recovery...more
Based upon the agreement of the parties, the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia vacated and withdrew the memorandum opinion previously issued by the Court in Shank v. Safeco Ins. Co. of...more
As the waters recede from Hurricane Irma, there are many issues for property insurers to consider as they adjust claims in Florida, including unique issues raised by assignment of benefits, Florida law on concurrent...more
As the waters recede from Hurricane Irma, property insurers have many issues to consider as they adjust claims in Florida. This alert discusses a few of those issues. Claims Reporting - The Florida Office of Insurance...more
When an insurer finds that the insured misrepresented a material fact in an application for insurance, the insurer may rescind the policy of insurance, and take the position that no coverage exists for a claimed loss. In a...more