News & Analysis as of

Policy Terms Denial of Insurance Coverage Duty to Defend

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

Insurer Must Defend Hotel from Allegations of Sex Trafficking, Northern District of Georgia Rules

In a recent opinion, the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia has ordered an insurer to defend an insured hotel from allegations that it negligently or intentionally permitted a minor to be trafficked for sex...more

Cozen O'Connor

The Time Limited Demand and Duty to Settle: Common Themes and Advising Your Insurer Client How to Avoid Bad Faith

Cozen O'Connor on

There must be something in the water or the plaintiff’s bar just had a conference where the keynote speaker addressed strategies for putting pressure on insurers by issuing time-limited demands (“TLD”) because we have been...more

Rivkin Radler LLP

New York Insurance Coverage Law Update — Compilation 2023

Rivkin Radler LLP on

The owners hired a general contractor (GC) insured by Amerisure to build a movie theatre, and the GC hired a masonry subcontractor (Sub) insured by Selective under a primary and umbrella policy...more

Carlton Fields

Kentucky Holds No Coverage for Malicious Prosecution Claim Under Policy Issued After Claimant’s Wrongful Arrest

Carlton Fields on

In City of Newport v. Westport Insurance Co., the Kentucky Court of Appeals addressed whether coverage existed for a malicious prosecution claim in a law enforcement liability policy that covered only periods of time during...more

Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP

Federal Court Applying Alabama Law Finds That Insurer Has No Duty To Defend Failure-to-disclose Action

The duties to defend and indemnify arise out of an insurer’s contract with its insured. It is a commonly accepted principle under Alabama law that an insurer’s duties to defend and indemnify are separate and distinct. Indeed,...more

Carlton Fields

New York Federal Court Enforces “Third Party or Contracted Security” Exclusion to Abrogate Duty to Defend for All Defendants in...

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In Clear Blue Specialty Insurance Co. v. TFS NY Inc., the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, interpreting the plain and unambiguous terms of a commercial general liability policy issued by Clear Blue...more

White and Williams LLP

Top Developments March 2023

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Chem. Solvents, Inc. v. Greenwich Ins. Co., 2023 U.S. App. LEXIS 868 (6th Cir. Jan. 13, 2023) - A divided Sixth Circuit panel holds that, under Ohio’s “all sums” allocation scheme, “targeted” insurers may seek indemnity...more

Carlton Fields

No CGL Coverage for Opioid Distributor Sued for Economic Damages but Not Bodily Injury Damage

Carlton Fields on

In Westfield National Insurance Co. v. Quest Pharmaceuticals, the Sixth Circuit held that two insurers owed no coverage obligations to Quest Pharmaceuticals in connection with 77 lawsuits filed against it alleging misconduct...more

Carlton Fields

New York Federal Judge Finds No Duty to Defend Based on War Exclusion’s Insurrection Clause

Carlton Fields on

In Hartford Fire Ins. Co. v. The Western Union Co. et al., No. 22-CV-0557 (JMF) (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 22, 2022), a federal judge in New York granted Hartford Fire Insurance Company’s motion for judgment on the pleadings and motion...more

Polsinelli

“Vague” Insurance Policy Requires Insurer to Defend Lawyer in Criminal Case, New York Judge Rules

Polsinelli on

After a recent ruling by Eastern District of New York Judge Joan Azrack, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. will have to provide defense for Jason Kurland, also known as the “Lottery Lawyer,” in the criminal action against him....more

Cozen O'Connor

Extrinsic Evidence and the Duty to Defend in Texas: To Be or Not to Be?

Cozen O'Connor on

In July of 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit revisited and affirmed its prediction that Texas courts will not allow extrinsic evidence to determine an insurer’s duty to defend where such evidence...more

Robinson+Cole Property Insurance Coverage...

New York Court Rules Duty to Defend Policies Must Explicitly Provide for Recoupment of Defense Costs

The Second Department, Appellate Division, for the Supreme Court of New York, recently held in a matter of first impression, that an insurance company with a duty to defend may not recover defense costs after a determination...more

Cozen O'Connor

Eleventh Circuit Reaffirms Exception to the ‘Four Corners’ Rule for Determining an Insurer’s Duty to Defend

Cozen O'Connor on

As a general rule, an insurer’s duty to defend arises under Florida law when the allegations of the complaint against the insured “fairly and potentially bring the suit within policy coverage.” Jones v. Fla. Ins. Guar. Ass’n,...more

Wiley Rein LLP

Insurer Waived Right to Assert Policy Exclusion First Raised in Answer to Declaratory Judgment Complaint

Wiley Rein LLP on

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, applying New York law, has concluded that an insurer waived the right to assert a policy exclusion as a coverage defense in a declaratory judgment action after...more

Gould + Ratner LLP

Suburb's Citizens Out of Luck Against Contractor's Insurer for Contaminated Water

Gould + Ratner LLP on

Under established Illinois law, an insurer must defend a legal action filed against its insured unless it is clear from the face of the underlying complaint that the allegations fail to state facts which bring the case...more

Carlton Fields

Iowa Supreme Court Finds Fatality Allegedly Caused by Gross Negligence Was a Potential “Accident” Under CGL Policy

Carlton Fields on

Coverage under most commercial general liability (CGL) policies applies only to liability arising from an “accident.” As such, injury or damage that an insured “expected or intended” to occur is not covered....more

Carlton Fields

A Case of Mass Listeria: Insurer’s Duty to Defend in New Jersey Contaminated Pizza Crusts Suit

Carlton Fields on

Last week, in Conte’s Pasta Co. v. Republic Franklin Insurance Co., a New Jersey federal court ruled that Republic Franklin Insurance Co. was obligated to indemnify Conte’s Pasta for the costs incurred defending against a...more

Cozen O'Connor

Observations on Erie Insurance Exchange v. Moore: A Misapplication of Precedent

Cozen O'Connor on

The duty to defend is a critical threshold determination in all liability coverage disputes. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has provided a clear and consistent directive on the issue: facts alleged in the complaint control...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Fifth Circuit Decision Excluding Coverage under Pollution Exclusion for Damage to Stream Caused by Rock Fines

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

Carlton Fields

Ohio Appellate Court Rejects Policyholder’s Notice-Prejudice and Continuity of Coverage Arguments

Carlton Fields on

Claims-made liability insurance policies typically require the policyholder to notify the insurer of a claim within a set amount of time — typically during the policy period, or within a specific period of time after the end...more

White and Williams LLP

Pennsylvania Federal Court Holds Insurer Can’t Use Insured’s Admission to Withdraw Defense

It has long been the rule, under Pennsylvania law, that an insurer's duty to defend is determined "solely" by the allegations in the "four corners" of the complaint against the insured. Kvaerner Metals Div. of Kvaerner U.S.,...more

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

How Far Does Your Sexual Abuse Liability Coverage Extend?

If faced with continuous injury claims based on past acts of sexual abuse, will an insured’s general liability policies with sexual abuse coverage defend? Purchase insurance that is carefully focused on the risks your...more

BCLP

XL’s injunction not “sneaky” in support of arbitration clause in UK D&O Policy

BCLP on

In XL v Little (May 2019), the Commercial Court granted a final anti-suit injunction to prevent Mr Little, a US individual, from bringing his D&O claim in New York in breach of the insurance policy’s London arbitration...more

Troutman Pepper

Federal Court in North Carolina Enforces Insurers’ Duty to Defend a General Contractor as an Additional Named Insured Under the...

Troutman Pepper on

Westfield Ins. Co. v. Weaver Cooke Constr., LLC, 2019 BL 129431 (E.D.N.C. Apr. 11, 2019) - This case arises out of the alleged defective construction of a condominium complex in North Carolina. In 2009, the developer on...more

Carlton Fields

California Federal Court Holds Scope of Duty to Defend Is Determined by the Language of the Contract

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In Harper Construction Co. v. National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, the Southern District of California rejected an insured’s attempt to expand a CGL policy’s definition of “suit” to encompass mere demands without...more

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