A commentary on insurance coverage issues in Hawaii and beyond
The federal district court found that under New York law, the insurer had a duty to defend construction defect claims where damage to property other than the insured's work product was possible. Am.Home Assur. Co. v. Allan Window Techs., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 101118 (S.D. N. Y. Aug 2, 2016).
…
In a brief memorandum opinion, the Ninth Circuit found the policy's intentional acts exclusion was ambiguous. Berns v. Sentry Select Ins. Co., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 13684 (9th Cir. July 27, 2016).
The insured's employee misappropriated company files. The employee was scolded and terminated. She then sued the insured. The tender to…
In a sensitive opinion incorporating several redactions, apparently due to national security issues, the court found that the business risk exclusions raised by the insurer did not apply in determining whether there was a duty to defend. Innovative Mold Solutions v. All Am. Ins. Co., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 91671 (D. Mass. July 12, 2016).…
The insureds prevailed at trial in securing an award for bad faith due to the insurer's unreasonable handling of the claim. Taladay v. Metro. Group Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 87659 (W.D. Wash. July 6, 2016).
Rosemarie Taladay had a homeowners policy with MetLife. After her death…
The First Circuit reversed the District Court's holding that the insurer's subrogation rights were waived based on a clause in the condominium's bylaws. Pacific Indemnity Co. v. Deming, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 12374 (1st Cir. July 5, 2016).
Deming rented a unit in the condominium under a lease with the unit's owners. He fell…
The policyholder's attempt to extend the duty to defend analysis beyond the complaint's allegations and the four-corners of the policy failed before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Water Well Solutions Service Group Inc. v. Consolidated Ins. Co., 2016 Wisc. LEXIS 163 (Wis. Sup. Ct. June 30, 2016).
Waukesha Water Utility contracted…
The court denied the carrier's motion for summary judgment, seeking to establish it had no duty to defend or indemnify. Allstate Ins. Co. v. Tarantino, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 81713 (D. Conn. June 23, 2016).
The insured's son was at a friend's house. He found an air gun, aimed the gun at the floor…
I am invited to speak before the Honolulu Association of Insurance Professionals at the monthly meeting September 13, 2016. The topic will be "Coverage for Construction Defects – Hawaii Departs from the Emerging Trend."
The meeting will be at the Island Insurance Meeting Hall, 1022 Bethel St., Honolulu. All are invited, but please RSVP to pr@haipro.org.
