The mid-March settlement by Target, of the numerous data breach class actions filed against the retailer, following disclosure of millions of its customers’ debit and credit card numbers, will cost the company about $25 million. I had the privilege... Read More
Insurers often take the position that indemnification for claims for “restitution” are barred by public policy, and contend they have no obligation to reimburse a settlement of such claims. They often take this position even if the policy... Read More
In RSUI Indemnity Co. v. Discover P&C Insurance Co [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers ], the primary insurer issued the insured a commercial automobile liability policy with a $1 million limit per-occurrence and in the aggregate... Read More
In its recent decision in Aguilar v. Gostischef , 2013 Cal.App. LEXIS 816 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. Oct. 11, 2013) [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers ], a California appellate court had occasion to consider whether a claimant’s statutory... Read More
NEW YORK - (Mealey's) A New York federal judge on Sept. 20 granted final approval to a $350 million class action settlement with United HealthCare Corp., ending claims that United companies allegedly underpaid professional providers for out-of-network... Read More
In American Western Door , the Central District of California granted a CGL carrier’s motion to dismiss an insured’s complaint and held that a carrier has the right to settle covered claims without the participation of the insured. American... Read More
In Aspen Specialty Ins. Co. v. Willis Allen Real Estate , the district court denied a liability carrier’s motion to dismiss an insured’s bad faith claim for failure to effectuate a settlement within policy limits despite the fact that the... Read More
Travelers Indem. of Conn. v. Arch Specialty Ins. Co. , 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 169453 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 26, 2013) [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers ] In Travelers , the district court concluded that the carrier must act in good faith... Read More
By William T. Barker & Justin N. Kattan In Doherty v. Merchants Mutual Insurance Co. , [1] a sharply divided Appellate Division affirmed summary judgment for an insurer on bad faith failure to settle. If followed, this would arguably raise the... Read More
In Advantage Builders & Exteriors, Inc. v. Mid-Continent Casualty Co., -- S.W.3d – , 2014 Mo. App. LEXIS 975 (Mo. Ct. App. 2014), [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers ], Mid-Continent’s insured, Advantage Builders, was... Read More
Tapas: Small Dishes of Insurance Coverage News & Notes The Supreme Court of Hawaii held that “an excess liability insurer can bring a cause of action, under the doctrine of equitable subrogation, against a primary liability insurer who... Read More
In Taylor v. Allstate Insurance Co.,[1] a Texas court of appeals held that the only common-law tort causes of action available against a liability insurer for allegedly inadequate defense of its insured are breach of contract and a Stowers[2] (failure... Read More
On November 4, 2014, LexisNexis author William T. Barker will speak at the 1st Annual Bad Faith Litigation Strategies ExecuSummit on "Recent Developments in Third-Party Bad Faith: The American Law Institute Principles of the Law of Liability Insurance... Read More
By Ronald D. Kent, Partner, SNR Denton In Allstate Insurance Co. v. Herron, [1] Allstate had offered its policy limits, but not until after expiration of a time-limit demand. A jury found that Allstate had acted reasonably, and the Ninth Circuit affirmed... Read More