A commentary on insurance coverage issues in Hawaii and beyond
The insurer's motion to exclude expert testimony and for summary judgment in a cases involving collapse was denied. Firehouse Church Ministries v. Church Mut. Ins. Co., 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 53959 (D. Miss. March 25, 2022).
A roof truss, a framework supporting the roof, collapsed in the church. The cause…
The Ohio Court of Common Pleas granted the insured's motion for summary judgment, denied the insurer's motion for summary judgment and and set the COVID-19, business interruption case for trial on damages. McKinley Dev. Leasing Co. v. Westfield Ins. Co., 2021 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 885 (Ohio Ct. Pleas Nov. 14, 2021).
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The Kentucky Supreme Court reversed the court of appeals' affirmance of the trial court's denial of bad faith claims. Nichols v. Zurich Am. Ins. Co., 630 S.W. 3d 683 (Ky. 2021).
Miller Pipeline Corporation had a commercial fleet policy with Zurich. The policy provided UIM coverage of $1,000,000.
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The Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's finding of bad faith and award to the insured of taxable costs and prejudgment interest. Selective Ins. Co. v. Sela, 2021 U.S. App. LEXIS 26062 (8th Cir. Aug. 30, 2021).
The insured suffered two hail storms that damaged his home. In 2010, the…
The court overruled the objection to the magistrate issuance of a protective order to prevent a deposition related to a dismissed claim. Pulte Home Corp. v. TIG Ins. Co., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 159014 (S.D. Calif. Aug 23, 2021).
Plaintiff was the general contractor for two real estate development projects.
The insured's claims for breach of contract and bad faith remained while his claims for deceptive practices and punitive damages were dismissed. Fishberg v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 135043 (S.D. N. Y. July 20, 2021).
The insured rented a apartment. He was insured…
The Colorado Supreme Court determined that the insurer defending under a reservation of rights could not intervene in the underlying case after the insured assigned its rights to any bad faith claim against the insurer. Auto-Owners Ins. Co. v. Bolt Factory Lofts Owners Ass'n, Inc., 2021 Colo. LEXIS 365 (Colo. May 24…
The Hawaii Supreme Court has granted certiorari to hear an appeal from the Intermediate Court of Appeals decision in Carvalho v. AIG Hawaii Insurance Company, 148 Haw. 370, 477 P.3d 164 (Haw. Ct. App. 2020). A summary of the ICA decision is here. The ICA reversed the trial court's granting of summary…
Society Insurance Company unsuccessfully sought to dismiss plaintiff restaurant group's claims for business interruption after shut-down orders followed the onset of COVID-19. In re Soc'y Ins. Co. COVID-19 Business Interruption Protection Insurance Litigation, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32351 (N.D. Ill. Feb. 22, 2021).
The multi-district litigation addressed Society Insurance's denial…
Summary judgment was awarded to the insureds on their business interruption claim due to governmental closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Henderson Rd. Rest. Sys. v. Zurich Am. Ins. Co., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9521 (N.D. Ohio, Jan. 19, 2021).
Plaintiffs owned restaurants in several states. In the spring of 2020…
