SDV Insights

With the rise in popularity of obstacle course racing, millions have participated in races like Spartan Race, Rugged Maniac, Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash in the last ten years.

While schoolchildren know that the classic "the dog ate my homework" excuse doesn't work, insurance companies are willing to try a variation of that excuse. Ace American Insurance Company (Ace), sold a property policy (the Policy) to Exide Technologies, Inc. (Exide). Exide sought coverage under the Policy for acid damage at its former battery factory. Ace denied coverage, citing to the pollution exclusion. The only problem? The Policy contained no pollution exclusion!

The Second Circuit recently affirmed that an insured bears the burden of distinguishing between covered and uncovered damages in a claim against an insurance company.

The United States Tax Court recently made it harder for business owners to form captive insurance companies for the sole purpose of obtaining tax benefits.

Motor carriers, particularly those that engage independent contractors, should keep in mind that the issue of worker classification, and how those contractors are treated by the motor carrier, could have a profound impact on whether claims are covered under their automobile liability insurance programs.

Policyholders should be aware of professional services exclusions in their liability policies that may be broadly interpreted to exclude liability arising out of operations that, while traditionally not regarded as professional in nature, may include professional elements or duties. Furthermore, it should never be assumed that an umbrella or excess policy will provide follow-form coverage to a primary policy that does not contain a professional services exclusion.

The District of Minnesota recently held that an excess insurer, who has the opportunity to participate in the defense of an underlying claim, is barred from speculating to the allocation of the jury award to make it fit within a policy exclusion.

The Eleventh Circuit recently affirmed that Nationwide acted in bad faith by refusing to settle a claim against its insured for the policy limits of $100,000, exposing the policyholder to a $5.83 million verdict.

On June 20, 2017, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that a life insurance salesman had no fiduciary duty to his customers where the customers retained decision-making authority regarding which policies to purchase.

In an action filed against Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) in the Eastern District of California last month, Valero Refining Co. alleges it sustained damages in excess of $75 million, including costs to restore operations and lost profits from decreased output, as a result of a power outage to its Benecia, California refinery. See Valero Refining Co. -- California v. Pacific Gas & Electric Co., 2:17-cv-01359-TLN-EFB (E.D.Cal. June 30, 2017).