A commentary on insurance coverage issues in Hawaii and beyond
No defense was owed to the additional insured despite the argument that the insurer's denial was untimely. Houston Cas. Co. v. Cavan Corp. of NY, Inc., 2019 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3556 (N.Y. Sup. June 27, 2019).
Cavan Corporation entered a Construction Management Agreement (CMA), as the construction manager, with Puck…
Applying Montana law, the federal district court found that the insurer owed a defense for faulty workmanship claims against the insured contractor. Atlantic Cas. Ins. Co. v. Quinn, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 103566 (D. Mont. June 20, 2019).
The Quinns contracted with Brunner Homes and Construction to build a custom…
The broker's motion to dismiss the insured complaint for negligence based upon collateral estoppel was unsuccessful. Gjonaj Realty & Mgt. Corp. v. Capacity Group of NY LLC, 2019 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 4880 (N.Y. App. Div. June 18, 2019).
The insured was sued in a personal injury action. A default…
Act 070, signed in to law by the governor on June 7, 2019, requires insurers to register any trade name with the Business Registration Division (BREG), Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), prior to the use or change of a trade name to sell, solicit, or negotiate insurance in Hawaii. Upon registration…
The court determined that there was a duty to defend despite the insurer's contention that no "occurrence" or "bodily injury" had been alleged. Zurich Am. Ins. Co. v. Electricity Main, LLC, 2019 U.S. App LEXIS 18074 (1st Cir. June 17, 2019).
Electricity Maine, LLC had a D&O policy with Zurich.
The insured's breach of contract and bad faith claims were dismissed based upon the suit limitation provision and the statute of limitations. Mail Quip, Inc. v. Allstate Ins. Co., 2019 U.S. LEXIS 87923 (E.D. Pa. May 23, 2019).
Plaintiff alleged that on March 17, 2015, an ink cartridge refill machine…
The federal district court refused to remand the case for lack of subject matter jurisdiction despite the insurer's argument that plaintiffs fraudulently joined their insurance agent as a defendant. Goostree v. Liberty Nat'l Life Ins. Co., 2019 LEXIS U.S. Dis. LEXIS 100604 (N.D. Ala. June 17, 2019).
Plaintiffs filed a…
The insurer was unable to escape coverage obligation over claims for construction defects when its motion for judgment on the pleadings was denied. Jei Solutions v. Burlington Ins. Co., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 95068 (E.D. La. June 4, 2019).
JEI was hired as a contractor to renovate a building. JEI…
Reversing the lower court, the California Court of Appeal found that the care, custody and control exclusion was not applicable to bar coverage for the general contractor as the additional insured under the subcontractor's policy. McMillin Homes Constr. v. Nat'l Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 2019 Cal. App. LEXIS 514 (Cal. Ct.
Although the lower court held that the insured contractor was entitled to coverage and indemnification under a CGL policy despite claims based upon faulty workmanship, the Alabama Supreme Court reversed. Nationwide Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v. David Group, Inc., 2019 Ala. LEXIS 52 (Ala. May 24, 2019).
The David Group…
