Waiver, estoppel and forfeiture are doctrines on which insureds often rely to try to create coverage outside the terms of the insurance policy. Insureds will often assert that they are entitled to such extra-contractual coverage based entirely on how the …

Avoid Creating Coverage By Estoppel, Waiver & Forfeiture: California Read more »

In two recent cases, the courts showed substantial deference to patients’ treating physicians in determining the reasonableness of medical treatment. This deference appears to reflect a reluctance of courts to decide what healthcare is appropriate for a patient. In Peterson …

Recent Bad Faith Cases Regarding Reasonableness of Medical Treatment Read more »

A bad faith claim against an insurer often focuses as much on the process of a claims investigation as it does on the substance of a claims decision itself. If the coverage decision was wrong (but not unreasonable), and the …

Form and Substance: The Importance of Conducting a Proper Investigation of First-Party Claims Under California Law Read more »