Publications

Insurers have a duty to handle claims in good faith. Depending on the jurisdiction, an insurer’s failure to settle, unreasonable denial of a claim, or improper claims handling can expose the insurer to damages above the policy limits. Automobile accidents were a driving force behind bad faith litigation last year, with four significant appellate-level decisions […]

Both state and federal courts across the country wrestled with insurance coverage for COVID-19 business interruption claims throughout 2021 with no foreseeable end in sight. That didn’t prevent courts from addressing a myriad of other interesting coverage dilemmas, stemming from ransomware incidents, Biometric Information Privacy Act claims, and SEC-ordered corporate disgorgements. What remains certain each […]

COVID-19 business interruption coverage litigation may have stolen the show in 2020, but those cases should not eclipse other important insurance coverage cases decided throughout this past year. As the courts nationwide struggled with the insurance coverage implications of COVID-19 related business loss, other significant coverage decisions were overshadowed. Read on to learn about how […]

Jeremiah Welch and Cheryl Kozdrey’s recent article, “Protecting Yourself from Downstream Risks,” was recently featured in the May/June 2020 edition of FMJ Magazine, the official magazine for International Facility Management Association (IFMA). This article explores effective risk management processes, including contractual risk transfer and insurance protections from downstream parties, and simple tools Facilities Managers can […]

A Missouri court recently refused to apply a New York choice of law provision to policyholder’s Missouri statutory insurance bad faith claim. In Maritz Holdings, Inc. v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s London,1 the policyholder, Maritz, sought insurance coverage for cyber-security breaches that resulted in the theft of electronically stored gift card information. Lloyd’s of London provided Maritz […]

There has been a recent surge in lawsuits filed by employees and customers of restaurants, hotels, and other major retailers, alleging violations of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”). BIPA generally prohibits the collection, use, and disclosure of biometric data without an individual’s prior written consent. As part of the enforcement mechanism of BIPA, […]

The State of Connecticut recently joined a growing list of state governments attempting to hold ExxonMobil (“Exxon”) accountable for causing climate change, bringing the total number of such states to 21. Connecticut alleges that the oil & gas giant lied to the public for decades about climate science and its own contributions of harmful toxins […]

Lennar Hingham Holdings, LLC (“Lennar”) built a twenty-eight-building, 150-unit condominium project containing twenty-four discrete phases over a seven-year span. The condominium association subsequently brought an action against Lennar and others alleging design and construction defects to four main components of the common elements: “decks and columns,” “roofing/flashing,” “exterior walls/flashing/building envelope,” and “irrigation system.” In response, […]

On November 4, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division ruled that 124 separate cases of food poisoning at the Pasha Mediterranean Grill restaurant over a four-day period arose out of a single occurrence. As a result of the Court’s ruling in Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America v. […]

The Power & Energy sector faces a multitude of risks that impact output and profitability, requiring sound risk management and robust insurance programs. As of recent, like most industries, there have been significant challenges facing the industry in light of COVID-19. These issues, including decreased product demand as well as supply- side issues, have been […]

In Optical Services USA/JCI v. Franklin Mut. Ins. Co.,1 the New Jersey Superior Court denied the insurer’s motion to dismiss the policyholders’ COVID-19 coverage suit. The Plaintiffs, in this case, were optometrists’ offices forced to close by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s Executive Order No. 107, which temporarily shut down non-essential businesses to help slow the spread […]

Recently, federal courts in California and Florida dismissed claims brought by restauranteurs against their insurance companies after the insurers denied business-interruption coverage for losses related to COVID-19 quarantine orders. In both cases, the courts held that the policyholders had not sufficiently alleged that their properties had suffered “direct physical loss or damage,” as required by […]