General Liability

Expert Analysis

• NY Asbestos Ruling Could Change Insurers' Approach

  

  A New York court's recent ruling that Liberty Mutual had to pay 100% of all settlements against its bankrupt and dissolved insured, Jenkins Bros., even though its policies were in force for only part of the asbestos exposure should make insurers think twice before looking to shed some of their asbestos coverage obligations, says John Koch at Flaster Greenberg.

• An Insurer's Guide To Policyholder Bankruptcy

  

  Given the increased likelihood of policyholders filing bankruptcy petitions in the wake of the pandemic, insurance professionals must be aware of five basic principles when dealing with an insured in bankruptcy, says Eric Fitzgerald at Goldberg Segalla.

• Insurance Language Lesson From An Opioid Ruling

  

  A Kentucky federal court's recent decision that the words “because of bodily injury” did not require insurer Motorists Mutual to defend drug company Quest against damages caused by the opioid epidemic provides lessons beyond the opioid context about seeking injury definitions that may be construed to provide broader coverage, say Vivian Bickford and Caroline Meneau at Jenner & Block.

• 3 Risk Management Lessons From Pandemic Insurance Wars

  

  As appellate decisions in COVID-19 business interruption insurance claims continue to clarify the state of the law, there are some things that policyholders' lawyers and risk managers can do in the meantime to help prepare for future unforeseen events affecting coverage, says Peter Halprin at Pasich.

• Ill. BIPA Ruling Marks Critical Win For Silent Cyber Coverage

  

  The Illinois Supreme Court's recent decision in West Bend Mutual v. Krishna Schaumburg Tan, confirming that commercial general liability policies do not have to include specific language to cover claims under the Biometric Information Privacy Act, represents a critical victory for policyholders, but leaves unresolved issues in the battle over BIPA coverage, says Tae Andrews at Miller Friel.

• NY Badly Needs Bad Faith Bill To Hold Insurers Accountable

  

  Contrary to a recent Law360 guest article that contends New York state's insurance reform bill would unfairly tip the scales against insurers, Edward Steinberg at the New York State Trial Lawyers Association argues the law is necessary to hold insurers accountable for acting in bad faith, and would protect policyholders and injured parties alike.

• When Your 9th Circ. Case Needs California High Court Input

  

  With the Ninth Circuit increasingly certifying state law questions to the California Supreme Court, litigants should pay careful attention to the rules for ancillary proceedings, study recent issues the state high court decided on certification, and consider strategic options, say attorneys at Buchalter.

• Cos. Should Review Insurance Policies For PFAS Coverage

  

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s creation of a council on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances signals the federal government's intent to accelerate PFAS-related regulatory action and enforcement — so companies with relevant liabilities must understand what their insurance policies will and won’t cover, say attorneys at Lathrop GPM.

• Insurance Ruling Clarifies Excess Coverage For Opioid Suits

  

  A Pennsylvania federal court's ruling this week in Giant Eagle v. American Guarantee Insurance, reversing an earlier finding that two excess insurers had duties to defend opioid injury suits, provides invaluable assurance to excess carriers that opioid defendants can’t use immense defense costs as a basis to leapfrog their primary coverage, says Adam Fleischer at BatesCarey.

• Indoor Air Pollution Fix Will Require New Laws, New Tech

  

  The COVID-19 pandemic, an aging population and changing workplace dynamics all foretell more exposure to indoor air pollutants, so a multidisciplinary policy approach combining technology, insurance, funding and regulation will be needed to improve indoor air quality and health, says Ann Al-Bahish at Haynes and Boone.

• Cannabis Legalization's Effects On Insurance Industry

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Resolution of the legal uncertainty presented by the dueling federal and state approaches to cannabis will pave the way for legal cannabis businesses to access the insurance protections the industry needs for everything from workers' compensation to auto insurance to general liability, says Christy Thiems at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

• Biden Admin.'s Climate Strategy Should Include Insurance Innovations

  

  To successfully meet the Biden administration's climate-related goals, the federal government must fill gaps in state regulation of environmental insurance, and help create an insurance framework that incentivizes and facilitates carbon impact reduction in four key areas, say Michael Hill and Paul Tetenbaum at Blue Dot Climate Insurance.

• Where Health Care Enforcement Is Headed Under Biden

  

  Early actions by President Joe Biden's administration signal a robust health care enforcement environment in which federal agencies will aggressively scrutinize pandemic-related and Medicare Advantage fraud, nursing homes, and medical technology, and False Claims Act activity will likely increase, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.