Specialty Lines

  • May 08, 2025

    Insurer Owed Reimbursement In Worker Injury Coverage Row

    A Washington federal court on Thursday ordered a subcontractor's insurer to reimburse a general contractor's insurer for more than $280,000 after both insurers helped settle an underlying worker injury lawsuit, finding the subcontractor's insurer owed additional insured coverage to the general contractor.

  • May 08, 2025

    Alaska Fishery Insurance Co-Ops Cast Wide Coverage Net

    The Alaska House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill permitting commercial fishers to form insurance cooperatives, a move that allows all eligible boat owners the ability to obtain coverage from a source that understands the industry for a reasonable price, representatives said. Here, Law360 speaks with Reps. Louise Stutes and Kevin McCabe about what to expect.

  • May 08, 2025

    9th Circ. Says Oil Co. Marine Policy Doesn't Cover $8M Award

    Lloyd's underwriters don't owe coverage for an $8.1 million award to the employer of a deckhand who was injured by defective mooring at a natural gas extraction platform, the Ninth Circuit held, saying coverage wasn't triggered under the platform owner's charterers legal liability policy.

  • May 07, 2025

    Politics, Tech Issues Top Concerns At Chicago Risk Event

    Insurance and risk professionals around the country gathered in Chicago to discuss potential perils and opportunities for the future, with talks often centering on President Donald Trump's administration, technological developments and statutory reform of the legal system.

  • May 06, 2025

    3rd Circ. Won't Review PNC's $106M No-Coverage Ruling

    The Third Circuit declined Tuesday to reconsider its decision that PNC Bank isn't owed coverage for a $106 million judgment it incurred over claims that its predecessor mismanaged funeral trust accounts.

  • May 06, 2025

    4th Circ. Hears Towers Watson's Bump-Up Exclusion Appeal

    The Fourth Circuit seemed skeptical Tuesday that Towers Watson's settlement of shareholder litigation was not an effective increase in deal compensation barred by a so-called bump-up exclusion in its directors and officers policies.

  • May 05, 2025

    Citizens Policy May Cover BIPA Claim, 7th Circ. Says

    An Illinois food ingredient manufacturer may be able to tap into one of its Citizens insurance policies for coverage of an underlying biometric privacy suit, if the company can prove it provided the insurer with timely notice of the claim, the Seventh Circuit said.

  • May 05, 2025

    Insurance Key Concern In Fighting Cyberattacks, Panel Says

    Companies need to consider a wide range of protections and policies to stem the growing risks posed by social engineering, wire transfer fraud and other forms of cyberattacks, panelists at a risk conference said Monday.

  • May 05, 2025

    Late Amazon Worker's Life Insurance Suit Delayed By 2 Months

    An Ohio federal judge on Friday delayed an upcoming trial over a late Amazon worker's life insurance policy by about two months but declined to convert it to a bench trial at this point, saying the request to proceed without a jury was premature.

  • May 05, 2025

    Liberty Wants Uber Rider, Employer To Cover Cyclist's Claim

    Liberty Mutual's surplus lines unit says an Uber rider and his then-employer, Boston-based developer Beacon Communities, are liable for a claim the insurer paid out to a cyclist who was "doored" as the passenger got out near his office in 2023.

  • May 01, 2025

    6th Circ. Judge Unsure If Totaled Car Payout Class Will Stand

    A federal appellate panel grappled Thursday with whether to uphold class certification in a lawsuit claiming that State Farm systematically undervalues totaled vehicles, with one judge wondering if every class automobile would require its own damages trial.

  • May 01, 2025

    Public Fire Model Could Boost Calif. Insurance Oversight

    Developing a public wildfire model in California could help provide a transparent benchmark for insurance regulators to better understand fire risk and evaluate rates, but experts warn that challenges remain as the federal government eyes cuts to key climate monitors.

  • May 01, 2025

    Insurance Pros Stress Disaster Mitigation In Senate Hearing

    A panel of insurance experts stressed in front of a U.S. Senate committee Thursday the importance of mitigation efforts, such as strengthening building codes and hardening homes, as the experts discussed how prices in the property insurance market have soared because of recent natural disasters across the country.

  • May 01, 2025

    Insurance Litigation Week In Review

    The Fourth Circuit upheld Kaiser Gypsum Co. Inc.’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan, insurers for the Suquamish Tribe further urged the U.S. Supreme Court to review their tribal jurisdiction dispute and the Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a McDonald’s franchisee’s bid for coverage. Here, Law360 takes a look at the past week's top insurance news.

  • May 01, 2025

    Foster Care Insurance Costs Surge Amid Abuse Claims

    Foster care agencies have faced increased costs of general liability insurance and with insurers hesitant to write policies for these entities in certain states, experts point to the need for legislative reform and regulation all while trying to prevent further trauma for children.

  • May 01, 2025

    Pierson Ferdinand Adds Insurance Group With New Atty

    The rapidly growing firm of Pierson Ferdinand LLP announced Thursday that it tapped a new partner who was previously with Carlton Fields to launch an international insurance regulatory team practice along with another Los Angeles-based attorney.

  • April 30, 2025

    Underwriters Seek Exit From $37M FTC Dispute With Loan Co.

    Underwriters asked a California federal court on Wednesday to find that they did not have to defend a company accused by the Federal Trade Commission of bilking consumers out of at least $37 million through a credit scheme designed to trick consumers into taking on debt.

  • April 30, 2025

    Schools Say Norfolk Southern Ducked Postderailment Pledge

    The school district for East Palestine, Ohio, filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Norfolk Southern, claiming the railroad hasn't made good on its promises to help the district recover after a fiery derailment shook the town in 2023.

  • April 29, 2025

    HR Co. Execs Say Insurance Biz Can't Sue Companies It Owns

    Executives of a human resources management and staffing company urged a Florida federal court to toss a lawsuit brought by its workers' compensation insurance manager alleging it's owed $25 million over a dissipated collateral fund, saying the litigation is "collusive" because the parent company controls the entities it's suing.

  • April 29, 2025

    Insurer Denies Extra $5M For Event Co.'s Injury Dispute

    An insurer for a motocross event organizer doesn't owe an additional $5 million in coverage on top of the $1 million it already paid to settle a suit over a child's injury at an amateur national motocross championship event, the carrier told an Ohio federal court.

  • April 28, 2025

    Estate Sues Insurer Over 'Paltry' Offer In DUI Death Case

    The estate of a motorcyclist killed by a driver allegedly overserved at a Washington bar has sued to force the bar's specialty insurance company to cover a partial settlement in an underlying wrongful death suit.

  • April 25, 2025

    Benefits Co. Failed To Protect Personal Info, Suit Says

    An employee benefits administrator failed to properly secure and safeguard private information of benefits recipients, including their names and Social Security numbers, that was later compromised in a data breach, according to a proposed class action in Maryland federal court.

  • April 24, 2025

    Ill. Justices' Pollution Exclusion Review Could Realign Courts

    The Illinois Supreme Court's agreement to consider whether pollution exclusions in standard-form commercial general liability policies apply to industrial emissions allowed under a regulatory permit could potentially provide certainty on the issue and realign Illinois' interpretation with other state courts, experts say.

  • April 24, 2025

    Insurer Says No Coverage For Nursing Home Negligence Deal

    An insurer shouldn't have to pay for a settlement that a healthcare management company reached following a nearly $3.3 million jury verdict in an underlying nursing home negligence suit, the carrier told a Washington federal court, saying the company settled without its consent.

  • April 24, 2025

    Shopify Privacy Ruling May Spark New Wave Of Litigation

    A Ninth Circuit ruling that revived a suit alleging Shopify violated privacy laws using tracking software cleared a key procedural bar that could open the floodgates to a new wave of litigation, threatening to strain an insurance market already tested by privacy suit claims.

Expert Analysis

  • 4 Ways To Leverage A Jury's Underdog Perceptions

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    Counsel should consider how common factors that speak to their client's size, power, past challenges and alignment with jurors can be presented to try and paint their client as a sympathetic underdog, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.

  • Why Hiring Former Jurors As Consultants Can Be Risky

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    The defense team's decision to hire former juror Victoria George in the high-profile retrial of Karen Read shines a spotlight on this controversial strategy, which raises important legal, ethical and tactical questions despite not being explicitly prohibited, says Nikoleta Despodova at ND Litigation.

  • How Attys Can Use A Therapy Model To Help Triggered Clients

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    Attorneys can lean on key principles from a psychotherapeutic paradigm known as the "Internal Family Systems" model to help manage triggered clients and get settlement negotiations back on track, says Jennifer Gibbs at Zelle.

  • How Attorneys Can Make The Most Of A Deposition Transcript

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    With recent amendments to federal evidence rules now in effect, it’s more important than ever to make sure that deposition transcripts are clear and precise, and a few key strategies can help attorneys get the most out of a transcript before, during and after a deposition, says Allison Rocker at Baker McKenzie.

  • Atty Insurance Implications Of Rising Nonclient Cyber Claims

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    As law firms are increasingly targeted in cyberattacks, claims by clients as well as nonclients against lawyers are also on the rise, increasing the scope of exposure that attorneys face in their practice, say attorneys at Wilson Elser.

  • Addressing D&O Allocation Questions Amid Shifting Economy

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    As increasing global insolvency this year may lead to an increase in directors and officers insurance claims, businesses should review their policies' allocation provisions to avoid negotiating how coverage will apply to covered and uncovered claims during a suit, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • Key Questions When Mediating Environmental Disputes

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    As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency implements dramatic regulatory changes, companies seeking to use mediation to manage increased risks and uncertainties around environmental liabilities should keep certain essential considerations in mind to help reach successful outcomes, says Edward Cohen at Thompson Coburn.

  • Understanding How Jurors Arrive At Punitive Damage Awards

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    Much of the rising trend of so-called thermonuclear verdicts can be tied to punitive damages amounts that astonish the imagination, so attorneys must understand the psychological underpinnings that drive jurors’ decision-making calculus on damages, says Clint Townson at Townson Litigation.

  • 10 Arbitrations And A 5th Circ. Ruling Flag Arb. Clause Risks

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    The ongoing arbitral saga of Sullivan v. Feldman, which has engendered proceedings before 10 different arbitrators in Texas and Louisiana along with last month's Fifth Circuit opinion, showcases both the risks and limitations of arbitration clauses in retainer agreements for resolving attorney-client disputes, says Christopher Blazejewski at Sherin and Lodgen.

  • Strategies To Help Witnesses Manage Deposition Anxiety

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    During and leading up to deposition, witnesses may experience anxiety stemming from numerous sources and manifesting in a variety of ways, but attorneys can help them mitigate their stress using a few key methods, say consultants at Courtroom Sciences.

  • 5 Insurance Types For Mitigating Tariff-Related Trade Losses

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    The potential for significant trade-related losses as a result of increased tariffs may cause companies to consider which of their insurance policies, including marine, builders risk, trade credit, and directors and officers, could provide coverage to alleviate the financial impact, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Home Depot Ruling Tolls Death Knell For 'Silent Cyber'

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    The Sixth Circuit's recent ruling that Home Depot's insurers did not have to cover costs from a data breach hammered one more nail in the coffin of silent cyber, where coverage is sought under standard property or commercial general liability policies that were not intended to insure cyberattack claims, say attorneys at Zelle.

  • In-House Expert Testimony Is Tricky, But Worth Considering

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    Litigation counsel often reject the notion of designating in-house personnel to provide expert opinion testimony at trial, but dismissing them outright can result in a significant missed opportunity, say David Ben-Meir at Ben-Meir Law and Martin Pitha at Lillis Pitha.