Three years after Katrina, Tulane University continues to be mired in litigation seeking coverage under its property policies for damage inflicted by the hurricane. In Ace American Ins. Co. v. Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66299 (E.D. La. Aug. 29, 2008), the court decided several coverage issues
ICA Oral Argument on Coverage Issues
An oral argument on coverage issues is scheduled before the ICA on November 12, 2008. The brief description of the case (generally drafted by an ICA law clerk) states:
Chezray Hayes, a minor, died when the aircraft he waspiloting crashed on Molokai. His parents, Defendants-AppelleesMitchell and Natalie Hayes (the Hayes), filed a wrongful
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Is Damage From Hurricane Ike Caused by Flood or Wind?
The battle has begun on whether the Hurricane Ike’s damage to the Texas coast was a result of flood or wind. Here is an interesting post from a Texas blogger suggesting that the litigation spawned by Hurricane Katrina may continue in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
Since the storm, Texas legislators…
Rights Under Insurance Policy Assignable
Can an insured assign the rights to payment under its insurance policy even though the policy includes a consent-to-assignment clause? The Vermont Supreme Court recently answered, yes. See In re Ambassador Ins. Co., 2008 Vt. LEXIS 108 (Vt. Aug. 14, 2008).
Ambassador issued two occurrence-based excess policies to Green Industries…
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Galveston in the Aftermath of Hurricane Ike
After visiting Galveston last month, I registered concern about living on the island in this post. I never imagined the eye of a deadly hurricane would hit Galveston in my lifetime, let alone one month after my visit.
The reports and television images show near total destruction on Galveston Island. …
Texas Supreme Court Follows Hawai`i Case Law in Adopting Injury-In-Fact Trigger
In answering a certified question from the Fifth Circuit, the Texas Supreme Court adopted the injury-in-fact trigger for a comprehensive liability policy in Don’s Building Supply Inc. v. OneBeacon Ins. Co., No. 07-0639 (Tex. Aug. 29, 2008).
The insured sold and distributed insulation which was installed in various homes from…
Reversing Itself, Court Finds Anti-Concurrent Causation Clause Valid
Although it had previously found a policy’s anti-concurrent causation clause to be ambiguous, a Louisiana federal district court reversed itself in Cameron Parish School Bd. v. RSUI Indemn. Co., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 64902 (W.D. La. Aug. 25, 2008).
The insured school board had several schools damaged by Hurricane Rita. …
Hawaii Federal Court Finds Insured’s Claim Barred By Policy’s Limitation Period
In Laeroc Waikiki Parkside, LLC v. Westchester Fire Ins. Co., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 65711 (D. Haw. Aug. 22, 2008), the Federal District Court of Hawaii determined the insured’s claim for coverage was time-barred under the policy’s two-year limitation period.
The insured purchased a hotel on August 24, 2001. It…
Insurer’s Subrogated Breach of Warranty Claim Fails
In St. Paul Mercury Ins. Co. v. The Viking Corp., No. 07-1948 (7th Cir. Aug. 21, 2008), the insurer paid for damages to the insured’s building and then filed suit against a fire sprinkler manufacturer. The insured occupied its building for six months when a fire sprinkler manufactured by Viking was activated…
