Law360, New York (February 03, 2012, 1:21 PM ET) -- In 2011, appellate courts across the country issued insurance coverage decisions of major significance to policyholders. The U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Second, Fourth, Fifth and Tenth Circuits published important, pro-insured opinions over the course of the year which decided key principles affecting coverage for intellectual property, securities and environmental liabilities.

The federal courts, however, were not alone in their attention to policyholder rights. Appellate courts in New York, California and Ohio also issued decisions determining and documenting the rights of insureds. Below are summaries...