Specialty Lines

  • August 22, 2024

    Motor Home Policy Is Stackable, Widow Tells NC Court

    The widow of a North Carolina man who was fatally struck by a car told a state appeals court that she's allowed to stack two underinsured motorist policies to recover a $625,000 wrongful death award in her favor because the second policy included a "private passenger motor vehicle."

  • August 22, 2024

    In 'Super Like' Coverage Bid, Tinder Seeks Match With NY Law

    A New York federal court's contemplation of whether Tinder owner Match Group has coverage for a lawsuit alleging it stiffed a developer who invented the app's "Super Like" function could provide clarity on when and how a state law applies to extend reporting deadlines in insurance policies.

  • August 22, 2024

    NY AG Tells Appeals Court To Uphold $465M Trump Judgment

    Donald Trump has barely challenged the extensive proof of financial statement lies undergirding a $465 million civil fraud judgment against him and his co-defendants, New York's attorney general said in an appeals brief looking to preserve the bench verdict.

  • August 22, 2024

    Fisher Phillips Brings Smith Gambrell Atty To DC Gov't Team

    Fisher Phillips' new D.C.-based agriculture employment partner has practiced several types of law throughout his career, and told Law360 Pulse Thursday that his employment law career started unexpectedly after a managing partner at one of his first firms called out sick before an interview.

  • August 22, 2024

    Ga. Mineral Co., Insurer Strike Deal In Talc Coverage Suit

    Phoenix Insurance Co. reached a contingent settlement with a Georgia-based mineral products company in litigation seeking to force the insurer to defend the company against an underlying suit claiming it supplied asbestos-containing talc products.

  • August 22, 2024

    7th Circ. Says Hidden IP Fight Doomed Insurance Coverage Bid

    The Seventh Circuit has agreed an insurer could rescind its policies covering a garbage services company because that company failed to disclose an already brewing trademark dispute, concluding the company's argument that it didn't need to disclose the feud was "not supported by the record or common sense."

  • August 22, 2024

    Cyber Incidents Accelerate Arms Race Over Broader Coverage

    A series of high-profile cybersecurity attacks, data breaches and system disruptions in 2024 have highlighted the growing pressure on policyholders to search for more coverage options beyond cyberinsurance and on insurers to limit their exposures.

  • August 22, 2024

    Insurer, Atty Drop Case Linked To Bogus Check Scheme

    An insurance firm has agreed to drop its claim seeking a declaration from a Washington federal court that it is not on the hook to cover a Seattle-area solo practitioner over an alleged counterfeit check scheme, after the bank and attorney settled their underlying dispute.

  • August 21, 2024

    Fla. Co. To Pay $5M To End CFPB's Illegal Foreclosure Claims

    Florida-based mortgage servicer Fay Servicing agreed Wednesday to pay a total of $5 million and its founder and CEO Edward Fay faces potential pay restrictions to resolve the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's claims the company violated a prior 2017 agreement and multiple federal laws that protect borrowers against illegal foreclosure practices.

  • August 21, 2024

    9th Circ. Upholds Toss Of Suit Over Car Insurer's Data Breach

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday refused to revive a proposed class action accusing auto insurance provider Noblr Reciprocal Exchange of failing to safeguard driver's license numbers exposed in a 2021 data breach, finding that the plaintiffs had failed to credibly allege that their data had actually been stolen. 

  • August 21, 2024

    Travelers Settles With Pa. Firm Over Stealing $1M From Client

    A Pennsylvania federal judge dismissed an insurance coverage dispute Wednesday, in light of a settlement between Travelers Insurance and a closed Pennsylvania law firm whose principal attorney was disbarred after he pled guilty to stealing almost $1 million from clients.

  • August 20, 2024

    A Deep Dive Into Law360 Pulse's 2024 Women In Law Report

    The legal industry continues to see incremental gains for female lawyers in private practice in the U.S., according to a Law360 Pulse analysis, with women now representing 40.6% of all attorneys and 51% of all associates.

  • August 20, 2024

    These Firms Have The Most Women In Equity Partnerships

    The legal industry still has a long way to go before it can achieve gender parity at its upper levels. But these law firms are performing better than others in breaking the proverbial glass ceiling that prevents women from attaining leadership roles.

  • August 19, 2024

    9th Circ. Partially Revives State Farm Car Value Class Action

    A split Ninth Circuit panel partially revived a class action accusing State Farm of undervaluing policyholders' totaled vehicles when paying out claims, saying Monday that a Washington federal court abused its discretion in decertifying one of two classes based on a previous Ninth Circuit ruling.

  • August 19, 2024

    Free Speech Group Says NY Official Must Face NRA's Suit

    A former New York state official isn't immune from the National Rifle Association's suit claiming she violated the group's rights by pressuring financial institutions to cut ties with it, a free speech group told the Second Circuit on Monday, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in the dispute.

  • August 15, 2024

    Specialty Line Insurance Cases To Note: 2024 Midyear Report

    The remainder of 2024 promises developments in several ongoing specialty line cases that can reshape bump-up exclusions in directors and officers policies, cyber coverage for loss mitigation costs and payment practices for defense costs.

  • August 15, 2024

    Harvard Late In Suing Broker For Tardy Admission Suit Notice

    Harvard University was 13 months late in bringing breach of contract claims against its insurance broker for its belated notification to Zurich American Insurance Co. about an ultimately successful legal challenge that upended affirmative action in higher education, a Boston federal judge said Thursday. 

  • August 15, 2024

    'Rise Of The Insurance Beast': Cases Take Over Colo. Courts

    Colorado's chief U.S. magistrate judge told a room full of attorneys Thursday that insurance cases have started to dominate the court's dockets, comprising almost half the district's civil jury trials last year.

  • August 15, 2024

    Insurance Litigation Week In Review

    The First and Third circuits asked state high courts to answer coverage questions, a Massachusetts state appeals court ruled on coverage for construction defects for the first time, the Second Circuit considered whether a letter constituted a claim and the Texas attorney general accused General Motors of misusing driver data.

  • August 15, 2024

    Calif. Virus Ruling Gives Clarity On Illusory Coverage

    California policyholders were disappointed while the state's high court continued to rule in insurers' favor on pandemic coverage, but experts say the emphasized standard of proof as to when coverage is actually rendered illusory could be a beacon of clarity for insureds.

  • August 15, 2024

    Texas Windstorm Insurer Strikes Balance With Rate Hike

    A recent rate hike approved by Texas' windstorm insurer of last resort underscores the urgency of balancing the financial needs of both insurers and policyholders following damaging storms like Hurricane Beryl in an already strained property insurance market, experts say.

  • August 15, 2024

    Insurtechs Face Fewer Reg Roadblocks, Attorney Says

    Tech innovators in the insurance industry are facing a more understanding and cooperative regulatory environment than they once dealt with, said an insurance attorney who helped steer an early mover in the arena of insurtech.

  • August 14, 2024

    Insurer Says No Coverage For Atty's Mistaken Settlement Row

    A lawyer accused of trying to cover up his settlement of a workers' compensation claim for the wrong client who shares the same name as his actual client can't get coverage, his professional liability insurer told a Mississippi federal court, saying the "limited documentation" he's provided "actually supports" the underlying claims.

  • August 14, 2024

    $24M Hidden Fee Deal With AIG Opposed By Class Member

    A member of a class of travel insurance buyers who accused AIG insurers of stacking hidden fees on top of insurance travel premiums urged a California federal court to reject a nearly $24 million proposed settlement, saying it inappropriately combines distinct California and Washington claims.

  • August 14, 2024

    Mich. Court Stands By Unitary Biz Ruling For Nationwide

    A Michigan state appeals court will not reconsider its decision that insurance companies that are part of Nationwide should file their taxes as a unitary group, and denied the state Treasury Department's request for reconsideration.

Expert Analysis

  • Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Beyond getting experience thinking on my feet and tackling stressful situations, the skills I've gained from horseback riding have considerable overlap with the skills used to practice law, particularly in terms of team building, continuing education, and making an effort to reset and recharge, says Kerry Irwin at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Top 10 Queries For Insurers Entering Surplus Lines Market

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    John Emmanuel at Locke Lord discusses what insurers should understand before entering into the surplus lines market, a growing, state-regulated area, subject to much variation in application and enforcement.

  • Sorting Circuit Split On Foreign Arbitration Treaty's Authority

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    A circuit court split over whether the New York Convention supersedes state law barring arbitration in certain disputes — a frequent issue in insurance matters — has left lower courts to rely on conflicting decisions, but the doctrine of self-executing treaties makes it clear that the convention overrules state law, says Gary Shaw at Pillsbury.

  • What New Conn. Insurance Bulletin Means For Data And AI

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    A recent bulletin from the Connecticut Insurance Department concerning insurers' usage of artificial intelligence systems appears consistent with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' gradual shift away from focusing on big data, and may potentially protect insurers from looming state requirements despite a burdensome framework, say attorneys at Day Pitney. 

  • High Court Should Maintain Insurer Neutrality In Bankruptcy

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    While a recent Law360 guest article argues that the U.S. Supreme Court should endorse insurer standing in Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Gypsum, doing so would create a playground for mischief and delay, and the high court should instead uphold insurance neutrality, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Spartan Arbitration Tactics Against Well-Funded Opponents

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    Like the ancient Spartans who held off a numerically superior Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae, trial attorneys and clients faced with arbitration against an opponent with a bigger war chest can take a strategic approach to create a pass to victory, say Kostas Katsiris and Benjamin Argyle at Venable.

  • What 2 Years Of Ukraine-Russia Conflict Can Teach Cos.

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    A few key legal lessons for the global business community since Russia's invasion of Ukraine could help protect global commerce in times of future conflict, including how to respond to disparate trade restrictions and sanctions, navigate war-related contract disputes, and protect against heightened cybersecurity risks, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Cos. Seeking Cyber Coverage Can Look To Key Policy Terms

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    As cyberattacks increasingly threaten business operations, including one last month that partially paralyzed UnitedHealth's services, expanded interpretations of several key policy terms may allow affected companies to recover under cyber business interruption policies or other coverage, even if their business hasn't completely shut down, say attorneys at Kasowitz.

  • Insurance Industry Asbestos Reserve Estimates Are Unreliable

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    Insurance regulators rely on industry self-reporting in approving insurance company reorganizations, but AM Best data reveals that actuarial and audit estimates have been setting perniciously low levels of loss reserves for asbestos liabilities and thus should be treated with deep skepticism, says Jonathan Terrell at KCIC.

  • Insurance Implications Of Trump's NY Civil Fraud Verdict

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    A New York state trial court’s $450 million judgment against former President Donald Trump and affiliated entities for valuation fraud offers several important lessons for companies seeking to obtain directors and officers insurance, including the consequences of fraudulent misrepresentations and critical areas of underwriting risk, says Kevin LaCroix at RT ProExec.

  • Understanding Insurance Is Key To Limiting Antitrust Liability

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    As regulators signal their intent to continue last year's aggressive campaign of corporate antitrust litigation, businesses must make active management of their liability insurance policies, along with a firm knowledge of the limits of their coverage, central to their strategies for limiting the enormous financial risks of enforcement, say attorneys at Nossaman.

  • High Court Should Endorse Insurer Standing In Bankruptcy

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    In Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Gypsum, the U.S. Supreme Court will examine bankruptcy standing doctrine as applied to insurers in mass tort cases, and should use the opportunity to eliminate spurious standing roadblocks to resolving insurer objections on their merits, says Frank Perch at White and Williams.

  • Lessons For D&O Policyholders From Pharma Co. Ruling

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    A California federal court's recent decision in AmTrust v. 180 Life Sciences, requiring insurers to advance defense costs for a potentially covered claim, provides a valuable road map for directors and officers insurance policyholders, rebutting the common presumption that a D&O insurer's duty to advance costs is more limited than under other policies, say attorneys at Pasich.