A portion of a dock on Lack Michigan operated by the Ports of Indiana suffered visible damage. See Ports of Indiana v. Lexington Ins. Co., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 130979 (S.D. Ind. Nov. 14, 2011). Lexington Insurance Company insured the port. Lexington agreed that a portion of the dock was damaged and
First Party Insurance
Eighth Circuit Remands To Determine Applicability of Collapse Exclusion
By Tred R. Eyerly on
The Eighth Circuit determined a jury instruction regarding the applicability of the "all-risk" policy's exclusion for "collapse" was inadequate. See KAAPA Ethanol, LLC v. Affiliated FM Ins. Co., 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 22158 (8th Cir. Nov. 3, 2011).
KAAPA had nine large, cylindrical, stainless steel tanks fabricated at its location. Soon after operations…
Ensuing Loss Provision Does Not Salvage Coverage
By Tred R. Eyerly on
Water intrusion caused by a contruction defect was not covered under the all risk policy's ensuing loss provision. See Friedberg v. Chubb & Son, Inc., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123582 (D. Minn. Oct. 25, 2011).
Extensive water damage was discovered in the insureds' home when a small hole in the exterior…
Homeowner’s Policy Excludes Coverage for Loss Caused by Chinese Drywall
By Tred R. Eyerly on
Exclusions barred the homeowners from recovering for losses caused by Chinese drywall in their home. Ross v. C. Adams Const. & Design, L.L.C., 2011 La. App. LEXIS 769 (La. Ct. App., released for publication Oct. 5, 2011).
Two years after purchasing their home, the Rosses began experiencing chronic malfunctions in the heating…
Faulty Wormanship Exclusion Does Not Bar Coverage
By Tred R. Eyerly on
The court determined that the Faulty Workmanship Exclusion only barred coverage for damages arising from problems with the property under construction itself and not to losses incurred to correct damage from accidents during construction. See 1756 First Associates, LLC v. Continental Casualty Co., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 117100 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 3, 2011).
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Wind vs. Flood Issues Negate Insurer’s Summary Judgment Motion
By Tred R. Eyerly on
Disputed evidence on whether the property damage was caused by wind or flood related to Hurricane Katrina was at issue in C.R. Pittman Constr. Co., Inc. v. Nat'l Fire Ins. Co. of Hartford, 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 20002 (5th Cir. Sept. 30, 2011).
Pittman Construction had equipment for pumping units stored both inside and…
Claims for Hurricane Ike Damage Survive Motion to Dismiss
By Tred R. Eyerly on
Whether the insured's claims based upon the adjustor's inadequate inspection after Hurricane Ike stated a claim was at issue in Stewart v. Nationwide Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 2011 U.S. DIst. LEXIS 111465 (S.D. Tex. Sept. 29, 2011).
Based on the complaint's allegations, the insured's home suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Ike…
Insurer’s Motion for Summary Judgment Based on Earth Movement Exclusion Denied
By Tred R. Eyerly on
After carefully dissecting the earth movement exclusion, the court denied the insurer's motion for summary judgment. High Street Lofts Condominium Assoc., Inc. v. Am. Family Mut. Ins. Co., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109043 (D. Colo. Sept. 26, 2011).
The City of Boulder performed road repair work near High Street's property, some of…
Policy’s Anti-Assignment Provision Enforced
By Tred R. Eyerly on
After suffering hurricane damage and having repairs made, the insured sought to assign rights under its policy to the contractor performing the remediation work. The anti-assignment provision, however, prevented the contractor's recovery under the policy. Paramount Disaster Recovery, Inc. v. Axis Surplus Ins. Co., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 98272 (S.D. Texas. Aug. 31…
First Party Policy’s Pollution Exclusion Given Narrow Interpretation
By Tred R. Eyerly on
The California Court of Appeals considered the reach of a pollution exclusion in a first party property policy. See The Villa Los Alamos Homeowners Assoc. v. State Farm Gen. Ins. Co., 2011 Cal. App. LEXIS 1079 (Cal. Ct. App. Aug. 17, 2011).
A prior case from the California Supreme Court was instructive. In MacKinnon …