In a coverage dispute between two insurers, the federal district court found the professional services exclusion under one of the insurer’s policies did not apply. The Phoenix Ins. Co. v. Scottsdale Ins. Co., 2026 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 192870 (E.D. N. Y. Aug. 25, 2026).
GGP Staten Island Mall, LLC contracted with Aurora Contractors
The Tenth Circuit held that abuse of several victims amounted to one abuse and one retained limit applied before the insurers’ obligations arose. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Nat’l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA., 2026 U.S. App. LEXIS 22404 (10th Cir. July 28, 2026).
Thirteen-year-old Michael Jenson groped two
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court’s finding that numerous lawsuits against the insured for distribution of peanut butter with salmonella contamination triggered one occurrence that meant one retained limit was applicable. J.M. Smucker Co. v. Ace Am ins. Co., 2026 U.S. App. LEXIS 19304 (6th Cir. July 1, 2026).
Smucker made food products
The federal district court granted summary judgment requiring the insurer to defend the insured hotel in a suit involving sex trafficking of a minor. Am. Fam. Mut. Ins. Co. v. Windham Motels & Resorts, Inc., 2026 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66641 (S.D. Ind. Feb. 25, 2026).
G.M., a minor, sued the hotel alleging that she
Applying Texas law, the Second Circuit affirmed the district court’s judgment that the insurers had no duty to defend or indemnify the manufacturer of ghost guns and gun parts. Granite State Ins. Co. v. Primary Arms, LLC, 2025 U.S. App. LEXIS 32275 (2nd Circ. Dec. 10, 2025).
The insured, Primary Arms, sold and shipped
The Minnesota Court of Appeals found losses from government orders issued during the COVID-19 pandemic were covered by an endorsement which also provided for several occurrences suffered by the insured. Life Time, Inc. v. Zurich Am. Ins. Co., 2025 Minn. App. LEXIS 269 (Minn. Ct. App. Aug. 11, 2025).
Life Time, Inc. operated health
Interpreting Kentucky law, the Sixth Circuit determined that the contractor who failed to complete a project was entitled to a defense in an action brought by its performance bond carrier. Phoenix Ins. Co., et al. v. Wehr Constructors, Inc., 2025 U.S, App. LEXIS 9258 (6th Cir. April 18, 2025).
Wehr
The Iowa Supreme Court determined that a consumer fraud claim against a contractor was not an "occurrence" and was not covered under the CGL policy. Dostart v. Columbia Ins. Group, 2025 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 48 (April 18, 2025).
Tyler Custom Homes entered into a construction contract with the Dostarts to
The Oregon Supreme Court wrestled with the meaning of "occurrence" in a liability policy, determining that recovery for an "accident" depended on whether there was a basis in fact for imposing tort liability. Twigg v. Admiral Ins. Co., 2025 Ore. LEXIS 242 (Ore. April 17, 2025).
Plaintiffs hired the insured
The federal district court found that the insurer must defend portions of the underlying case based upon alleged faulty workmanship. Motorist Commercial Mutual Ins. Co. v. Ellison Distributing Inc., 2025 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 35279 (D. Ind,. Feb. 27, 2025).
Daily Feed & Grain, Inc. (DFG) farmed, produced and sold grain. Ellison