A commentary on insurance coverage issues in Hawaii and beyond
The trial court erred in excluding lay testimony on diminution of value of the insured's property and by requiring expert testimony. Woodrum v. Georgia Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 2018 Ga. App. LEXIS 429 (Ga. Ct. App. June 27, 2018).
During a thunderstorm, a large tree fell onto the roof…
The Second Circuit reversed the District Court's issuance of summary judgment to the insurer because a windstorm exclusion was deemed ambiguous. 7001 East 71st Street, LLC v. Continental Cas. Co., 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 17334 (2nd Cir. June 26, 2018).
A windstorm during Hurricane Sandy caused the roof of 7001…
The insurer unsuccessfully moved to dismiss portions of the insureds' counterclaim based upon prior knowledge. Hudson Spec. Ins. Co. v. Talex Enter., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 105598 (S. D. Miss. June 25, 2018).
The insureds' building collapsed in McComb, Mississippi. Pubic utilities were damaged and traffic disrupted. The City sued…
In yet another collapse case from Connecticut, the federal district court denied the insurer's motion to dismiss. Maki v. Allstate Ins. Co., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102708 (D. Conn. June 20, 2018).
In February 2016, the insureds noticed a series of cracks throughout the basement walls of their home. The…
The Ninth Circuit upheld the District Court’s decision that the insured Association of Apartment Owners was entitled to coverage for the attorneys’ fees incurred [prior post here].Ass’n of Apartment Owners of the Moorings, Inc. v. Dongbu Ins. Co., Ltd., 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 20251 (9th Cir. July 20, 2018).…
As homeowners on the Big Island contemplate pursuing claims due to loss caused by volcanic eruption or lava flow, SuperLawyers has a post addressing some of my thoughts on the issue. The post is here.
The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the insured's assignment of benefits despite the policy's anti-assignment provision. Farmers Ins. Exchange v. Honorable David Udall, 2018 Ariz. Ct. App. LEXIS 94 (Ariz. June 12, 2018).
Farmers issued homeowners' policies to four homeowners who later required water damage mitigation and restoration services. Each…
Faced with a series of policies, earlier ones which did not define collapse, newer policies which did, the court determined there was a possibility of coverage under the older policies which did not define collapse. Vera v. Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 100548 (D. Conn. June 15, 2018).…
Connecticut courts have been swamped with cases seeking coverage for collapse caused by faulty cement. In a recent decision, the federal district court asked the Connecticut Supreme Court to determine what constitutes substantial impairment of structural integrity for applying the collapse provision of a policy. Karas v. Liberty Ins. Corp., 2018 US.
Handling the third appeal of the matter, the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals rejected the insured's claim for bad faith based upon an untimely denial of the claim. Adams v. Haw. Med. Serv. Ass'n, 2018 Haw. App. LEXIS 245 (Haw. Ct. App. June 8, 2018) (Disclaimer – our office is co-counsel for…
