A commentary on insurance coverage issues in Hawaii and beyond
The court found direct physical loss was established, allowing coverage for a ransomware attack on the insured's computer server and networked computers. Nat'l Ink & Stitch, LLC v. State Auto Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11411 (D. Md. Jan. 23, 2020).
The insured stored art, logos…
Accepting the insured's amended complaint, the federal district court of Hawaii remanded the coverage action to state court. Hale v. Lloyd's, London, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9061 (D. Haw. Jan. 17, 2020).
Hale purchased a policy for his home in Hilo, Hawaii, from Defendant Pyramid Insurance Centre. The policy was…
The Eleventh Circuit agreed that a sophisticated phishing scheme that persuaded an employee to wire money to a foreign bank account was a direct physical loss covered under a commercial crime policy. Principle Solutions Group, LLC v. Ironshore Indemn., Inc.,2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 36350 (11th Cir. Dec, 9, 2019).
At…
A bill prohibiting the use of anti-concurrent causation clauses in homeowners' insurance policies has been introduced before the New Jersey legislature. The bill is here.
Under an anti-concurrent causation clause, the policy bars coverage if two perils (i.e., wind and water damage) contribute to a loss and one peril is…
The Vermont Supreme Court reversed the trial court's decision for collapse coverage. Commercial Constr. Endeavors, Inc. v. Ohio Sec. Ins. Co., 2019 Vt. LEXIS 173 (Vt. Sup. Ct. Dec. 13,2019).
Commercial Construction Endeavors, Inc. (CCE) built a livestock barn. By late December 2014, the barn was partially complete, with the…
The insured's claim for reformation of the policy after the business interruption coverage was denied was dismissed by the court. Nat'l Compressor Exch., Inc. v. Hanover Ins. Co. Inc., 2019 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 6370 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Oct. 23, 2019).
On certain days in June and July of 2013, the…
Construing an all-risk Businessowners Policy, the court found that the policy language did not required replacement of undamaged material match materials that were damaged. Pleasure Creek Townhomes Homeowners' Ass'n v. Am. Family Ins. Co., 2019 Minn. App. Unpub. LEXIS 1095 (Minn. Ct. App. Nov. 25, 2019).
The policy covered the …
The Ninth Circuit agreed with a jury that the insurer breached the farm insurance policy and the duty of good faith and fair dealing in denying a claim for, among other things, theft of cattle. Chatelain v. Country Mut. Ins. Co., 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 34530 (9th Cir. Nov. 20, 2019).
…
Connecticut courts have been inundated with collapse cases the past couple of years due to insureds' living in homes that were constructed with defective concrete manufactured by J.J. Mottes Concrete Company. In a duo of cases, the Connecticut Supreme Court responded to a certified question from the U.S. District Court, holding that collapse…
The federal district court, District of Hawaii, denied the insurers' motion to dismiss a claim asserted by the insured under Nevada's unfair practices statute. Puna Geothermal Venture v. Allianz Global Risks US Ins. Co., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 211661 (D. Haw. Dec. 5, 2019).
Puna Geothermal's power plant was damaged…
