A commentary on insurance coverage issues in Hawaii and beyond
The Mississippi Supreme Court found the pollution exclusion ambiguous under the facts presented. Omega Protein, Inc. v. Evanston Ins. Co., 2022 Miss. LEXIS 90 (Miss. March 31, 2022).
Omega Protein, Inc., entered a contract with Ascu-fab to perform welding and other fabrication work at their facility. Accu-fab was required to…
The Ninth Circuit, relying upon the Washington Supreme Court's response to a certified question (prior post here] found that the insurer was bound by the agent's certificate of insurance identifying an additional insured. T-Mobile USA Inc. v. Selective Ins. Co of Am., 787 Fed. Appx. 395 (9th Cir. Dec. 9, 2019). …
After ignoring a prior order to pay fees, the insurer was ordered again to pay the total fees incurred without challenge to defense counsel's hourly rates. Chelsea Piers, L.P. v. Colony Ins. Co., 2019 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 6333 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Nov. 25, 2019).
Chelsea Piers was an additional insured…
The insurer's efforts to exclude two of the insured's experts in a collapse case were unsuccessful. Hudon Specialty Ins. Co. v. Talex Enterprises, LLC, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150148 (S.D. Miss. Sept. 4, 2019).
The insureds' building collapsed. The remaining portions of the building required immediate stabilization. The insureds hired…
The plaintiff insurer's motion for partial summary judgment seeking an order that defendant insurer was obligated to defend a non-party as an additional insured was granted. Am Empire Surplus Lines Ins. Co. v. Burlington Ins. Co., 2019 N. Y. Misc. LEXIS 4145 (N. Y. Sup. Ct. July 25, 2019).
Quality…
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.
The insured's failure to verify that subcontractors had CGL policies and to provide a contract stating that the subcontractors would indemnify the insured as required by the policy's endorsement meant there was no coverage for the insured. Cincinnati Spec. Underwriters Ins. Co. v. Milionis Constr., Inc., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 199658 (E.D.
The Ninth Circuit certified a question to the Washington Supreme Court as follows:
Under Washington law, is an insurer bound by representations made by its authorized agent in a certificate of insurance with respect to a party's status as an additional insured under a policy issued by the insurer, when the certificate includes language disclaiming
…
The Illinois Court of Appeals reversed summary judgment entered for the insurer and found the general contractor, an additional insured under the policy, was entitled to a defense. Hastings Mut. Ins. Co. v. Blinderman Constr. Co., Inc., 2017 Ill. App. LEXIS 661 (Ill. Ct. App. Oct. 24, 2017).
Blinderman was…
The insured contractor was not entitled to independent Cumis counsel despite suing the insurer in a cross-claim. Centex Homes v. St. Palu Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 2018 Cal. App. LEXIS 45 (Cal. Ct. App. Jan. 22, 2018).
Homeowners sued Centex Homes for construction defects. Centex tendered defense of the suit to…
