Policyholder Pulse

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Artificial Intelligence: A Boon for Insurance Underwriting?

The digitization of business is in high gear. Although some sectors have embraced this change, others, including the insurance industry, have been slower to implement advances. While we’ve previously addressed insurance coverage for artificial intelligence (AI) risks, the risk-averse culture of the insurance industry has been particularly resistant to change…

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Oddball Exclusions Are Not All Fun and Games – What the Court Got Wrong in Princeton Excess & Surplus Lines Insurance Co. v. Hub City Enterprises Inc.

Hub City Enterprises Inc. and Wall St. Enterprises of Orlando Inc. ran an event called “Rum Fest 2017” in Orlando, Fla. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? But one of the partygoers, who apparently paid to attend the festival, was not amused. In the middle of the party, Robert Hunt saw…

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Pillsbury Insurance Insolvency Watch: Northwestern National & Highlands

Northwestern National, the successor to Bellefonte Insurance Company, was placed into liquidation by a court in Wisconsin in May. Northwestern National was previously put into rehabilitation by the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance in 2007 and exited rehab in 2012. Its policyholder surplus has continued to decline in…

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California Supreme Court Sides with Policyholder in Critical Notice-Prejudice Case

In November 2018, we noted that the California Supreme Court had agreed to resolve Pitzer College v. Indian Harbor Insurance Company, a case that hinged on the importance and application of California’s notice-prejudice rule. On August 29, 2019, the court issued its decision: a policyholder-friendly ruling that opposes technical forfeitures…

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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…