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Delaware Court Adopts Pillsbury’s Theories on Novel D&O Insurance Issues (Part 2)

In a prior post, we reported an important ruling of first impression by the Delaware Superior Court that a shareholder appraisal action against Pillsbury’s client Solera Holdings Inc. was a “Securities Claim” under Solera’s directors and officers liability insurance policies. In the same decision, the court ruled on two additional…

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Federal Appeals Court Punishes Policyholder for Giving Too Much Notice

When a company receives a claim or lawsuit, it is critical to provide timely notice to its insurers. But when the claim is first made, sufficient facts may not yet be known to indicate which policy will respond. Many policies also contain language that purports to shift coverage to earlier…

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Delaware Court Adopts Pillsbury Theory that Shareholder Appraisal Actions Are Covered Securities Claims Under D&O Policies

Pillsbury secured an important victory for its client, Solera Holdings Inc., when Delaware Superior Court Judge Abigail LeGrow held—in a matter of first impression anywhere in the country—that a shareholder appraisal action challenging the price Solera obtained for its shares when it sold itself to private equity firm Vista Equity…

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California Puts Teeth into Confidentiality Provisions. Lawyer Gets Bitten.

Disputed insurance claims often end in confidential settlements, as do many insured liabilities.  But does it matter if lawyers sign a settlement agreement approving “as to form and content”? Last month, the California Supreme Court answered that question with a resounding “Yes!” In Monster Energy Company v. Schechter, a unanimous…

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As Investment in Esports Grows, Insurance Coverage Must Keep Up

Packed stadiums? Check. Players and teams with huge followings? Check. Massive social media appeal? Check. But here, the events that spectators are so eager to attend aren’t live basketball or football games. Instead, fans are lining up to watch others competitively play video games, more commonly known as esports. In…

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The Insurance Implications of Hurricane Season Should Be a Concern Year Round

Hurricane Barry provides the latest reminder of insurance precautions that should always be top of mind for business owners in coastal areas. In “Hurricane Barry: Prepare Now to Maximize Insurance Recoveries,” colleagues Tamara D. Bruno, David F. Klein, Joseph D. Jean and Vincent E. Morgan provide a list of helpful…

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From Data Breach to Bankruptcy – A Cautionary Tale for Those Without Cyber Insurance

A data breach may cost a company millions in recovery and liability damages, but rarely does a breach force a company into bankruptcy. However, a months-long data breach at American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA) in 2018-2019 did just that, forcing its parent company, Retrieval-Master Creditors Bureau Inc., into Chapter 11…

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Evolving Bad Faith Law: Pro-Policyholder Decision out of Minnesota

Since 2008, Minnesota has had a bad-faith statute that penalizes an insurance company for its unreasonable denial of a first-party insurance claim. But it was only earlier this month that a Minnesota appellate court interpreted the statute to require insurance companies to conduct a reasonable investigation and fairly evaluate its…

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Environmental Closure Costs Are Covered! (And Are Not Ordinary Costs of Doing Business)

Insurers have recently argued that environmental property damage claims for “closure” costs arising out of historic pollution are not covered, because the claimed damages are just “ordinary costs of doing business.” Policyholders should strongly resist denials based on this argument, which is unsupported custom and practice in the insurance industry…

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Financial Institutions Face Potential New Cybersecurity Standards from the Fed

Recently, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System has indicated it may move forward with enhanced cybersecurity standards for large financial institutions and the third-party vendors that serve them. Over on Pillsbury’s SourcingSpeak blog, colleagues Andrew L. Caplan and Curtis A. Simpson examine just what those standards might be in…