The Illinois Supreme Court has teed up a significant insurance question: Does a standard pollution exclusion bar coverage when the alleged “pollution” was not considered to be pollution when the policy issued—where the...more
IBM recently filed a declaratory judgment action against multiple insurers seeking coverage for environmental remediation costs. The complaint contains lessons for policyholders facing long-tail environmental exposure claims....more
The question of whether ethylene oxide emissions constitute traditional environmental pollution for the purpose of interpreting commercial general liability pollution exclusions remains unsettled in many jurisdictions across...more
As temperatures in the Northeast have made it feel more like winter than spring, it’s only fitting that we begin our April Insurance Update with a case from Alaska. There, the Alaska Supreme Court decides for the first time...more
This article will discuss policyholder concerns after a California federal court recently found that some PFAS claims in an MDL were excluded under a pollution exclusion, but others were not. The case is Nat'l Foam, Inc. v....more
In Citizens Ins. Co. of Am., et al. v. Augusta Chiller Service, Inc., et al., the Southern District of Georgia granted insurers' motions for summary judgment in part on their duty to defend under a primary and excess policy...more
New Jersey appeals court concludes that claims by a condominium resident alleging injury from indoor exposure to mold did not fall within a “consumption” exception to mold exclusions* in CGL policies where the resident...more
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS") represent major exposures to insurers and their policyholders. Thousands of lawsuits are pending nationwide, and numerous large settlements have already been reached. Insurers are...more
On October 7, 2024, the Hawaii Supreme Court, responding to questions certified by the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, determined that insurers had no duty to defend Aloha Petroleum ("Aloha") in two...more
Concerns surrounding plastic, particularly microplastics and synthetic microfiber, pollution are growing. As federal and state governments continue to focus on this issue, lawsuits seeking to hold companies accountable for...more
We touch upon various issues in our August insurance update. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts considers the meaning of “surface waters” and whether the sublimit for floods applies when pooled water on a roof...more
Paraco Gas Corporation purchased an insurance policy for Directors, Officers and Private Company Liability (“D&O”) from Ironshore Indemnity, Inc. that covered certain acts of Paraco’s officers and directors. Paraco...more
It’s not often that the U.S. Supreme Court weighs in on insurance issues. That’s because the McCarran-Ferguson Act gives states the primary authority to regulate the business of insurance. So when the Supreme Court speaks on...more
Insurers often include exclusions within their liability policies to prohibit coverage for claims arising out of pollution exposure. The exact wording of the exclusion can differ significantly, but the key issue is whether...more
Ohio presents unique challenges to practitioners handling insurance claims in the state. Join Goldberg Segalla partners Michael A. Hamilton and Sean P. Hvisdas as they host a live, interactive webinar on some of the most...more
In Wesco Insurance Co. v. Brad Ingram Construction, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a summary judgment ruling in favor of Wesco Insurance Co. after a split panel concluded that toxic dust and debris from a...more
In Dyno Nobel v. Steadfast Insurance Co., the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that, under Utah law, where a specific state is listed in an endorsement heading, coverage under the endorsement is limited to claims...more
When determining whether insurance coverage exists for a claim, a crucial consideration is whether the claim involves an event or occurrence that took place in a state other than where the relevant policy was delivered. This...more
Courts were in full swing deciding insurance coverage issues over the past month or so. Here are a few that caught our attention. The Louisiana Supreme Court became the latest state supreme court to find no coverage for...more
Chem. Solvents, Inc. v. Greenwich Ins. Co., 2023 U.S. App. LEXIS 868 (6th Cir. Jan. 13, 2023) - A divided Sixth Circuit panel holds that, under Ohio’s “all sums” allocation scheme, “targeted” insurers may seek indemnity...more
In my last blog, I noted that there is no case law under CERCLA analyzing whether an insurer may rely upon the absolute pollution exclusion to avoid the duty to defend where a complaint for cost recovery alleges joint and...more
Join us for Hinshaw's Webinar Series: Insurance Insights – What Insurers Need to Know in 2021. This series will feature insurance thought leaders from Hinshaw and RPC, presenting on the most pressing insurance claims topics...more
Two recent decisions by courts denying motions to dismiss brought by insurers against insureds seeking COVID-19 business interruption coverage could be harbingers for other such decisions due to their focus on the...more
In policies without a specific bacteria or virus exclusion, the pollution exclusion may apply to exclude coverage for claims for bodily injury resulting from an occurrence involving bacteria or viral “contaminants.” The...more
On July 23, 2020, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, applying Florida law, looked beyond an operative complaint to relieve an insurer of its duty to defend in BBG Design Build, LLC v. Southern Owners Insurance Company. In...more