A commentary on insurance coverage issues in Hawaii and beyond
The court rejected the insurers' argument that there was no occurrence or property damage. Ceme-Tube LLC v. Chroma Color Corp., 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 134699 (W.D. Wis. July 30, 2024).
The insurers argued on summary judgment that their respective policies did not provide coverage for Ceme-Tube LLC's claims against Chroma Color. The…
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the District Court, holding that under Hawaii law, the insurer had a duty to defend based upon deposition testimony providing facts not found in the underlying complaint. Koppers Performance Chemicals, Inc. v. Argonaut-Midwest Ins. Co., 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 15678 (4th Cir. June 27, 2024).
The Illinois Appellate Court affirmed the trial court's dismissal of the insured's complaint after damage caused by a leak of carbon monoxide caused bodily injury. Allied Design Consultants, Inc. v. Pekin Ins. Co., et al., 2024 Ill. Ct. App. LEXIS 1433 (June 18, 2024).
Carbon monoxide leaked in a building…
The Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit determined there was no duty to defend or to indemnify the additional insured for the named insured's defective work. St. Paul Guardian Ins. Co., et al. v. Walsh Construction Co., 99 F. 4th 1035 (7th Cir. 2024).
The City of Chicago contracted with…
Addressing issues left open in its seminal decision in Montrose, the California Supreme Court found that the language in the first-level excess policies meant that the insured could access the policies upon exhaustion of the directly underlying policies purchased for the same policy period. Truck Ins. Exchange v. Kaiser Cement & Gypsum …
The federal district court, interpreting Massachusetts law, found there were genuine issues of fact as to whether the insured's mixing of biodiesel with home heating fuel was an occurrence. United States Fire Ins. Co. v. Peterson's Oil Serv., Inc., 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 106980 (D. Mass. June 17, 2024).
Homeowners…
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court's finding of no duty to defend or indemnify because of an answer on the insured's application for insurance. Snell v. United Specialty Ins. Co., 2024 U.S. App. 12733 (11th Cir. May 28, 2024).
Snell was hired by a family, the Westons, to turn an…
The court denied the insurer's motion for summary judgment seeking to dismiss the insured's bad faith claim. Landmark Am. Ins. Co. v Esters, 2024 U.S Dist LEXIS 93008 (W.D. La. May 23, 2024).
The case arose out of circumstances occurring due to Hurricane Laura making landfall on August 27, 2020.
The California Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court's finding that the policy covered a worker's injuries despite the Contractor's Exclusion. Cal. Spec. Insulation . Allied Work Surplus Lines, Ins. Co., 2024 Cal. App. LEXIS 317 (Cal. Ct. App. May 17, 2024).
Air Control Systems, Inc. was retained by a…
The Second Circuit upheld the district court's grant of summary judgment finding that Scottsdale Insurance Company owed a defense to the insured and had to reimburse Greater New York Mutual Insurance Company for fronting the defense costs. Greater N.Y. Mut. Ins. Co. v. Burlington Ins. Co., 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 10165 (2nd…
