As the economy recovers from the Great Recession, the insurance industry is experiencing an increase in the need to evaluate risk retention and risk transfer mechanisms tailored to the commercial policyholders’ risk management goals as applied to its policy provisions and obligations owed to its insured. Whether labeled as a large or high deductible, matching deductible, or self-insured retention, these mechanisms are governed by the plain language of the relevant policy provision or endorsement and insurers and insureds alike can minimize potential exposures by ensuring that the relevant policy language aligns with their intent. In addition, these vehicles bring their own set of unique considerations in order to maintain good faith practices. For example, in Roehl Transport, Inc. v. Liberty Mutual…
Monthly Archives: March 2017
Large Deductibles and Self-Insured Retentions – Potential Bad Faith Exposures
Posted in Bad Faith
Webinar: Review of Significant Bad Faith Cases in 2016 (3/23/2017 at 11:30a – 12:30p ET)
Julia Molander and Jennifer Kennedy-Coggins of the Global Insurance Department present this one-hour Cozen O’Connor webinar which will provide a review of some of the most significant insurance coverage bad faith cases decided across the United States in 2016. The speakers will examine key decisions, provide a discussion of the bad faith trends, and discuss the practical tips that can be gleaned from the courts’ 2016 decisions. The goal of this presentation is to take away practical tips on how insurers can avoid bad faith and how to address and handle claims through discovery and trial. In this webinar, the speakers will discuss: The latest trends in punitive damage awards Discovery of “institutional” bad faith Bad faith standards, from strict liability to heinous misconduct…
Posted in Bad Faith
Mediation Statements in Federal Courts May or May Not be Privileged and Can Be Waived
The Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri declined to recognize a mediation privilege in In re Lake Lotawana Community Improvement District, 2016 WL 7984347 (Bankr. W.D. Mo. Sept. 19, 2016), despite the fact that it conceded that other circuits have done so. Lake Lotawana did not involve a mediation with a plaintiff and an insured; however, the cases presented by the parties drew heavily from the case law in the bad faith context. More specifically, in a Chapter 9 bankruptcy proceeding, the debtor must allege that it negotiated in good faith at a pre-petition mediation. In Lake Lotawana, the mediation failed and the debtor alleged as a prerequisite to filing a Chapter 9 proceeding that it had negotiated…
Posted in Bad Faith
“Succeeds to the Interests of” Does Not Require Assumption of Obligations: D&O Policy’s Insured v. Insured Exclusion Applies to Claim Assigned to Fidelity Insurer; No Bad Faith
On February 24, 2017, the Texas Supreme Court reinstated a state trial court ruling that an “insured-versus insured” exclusion barred coverage under a D&O policy for the costs of defending a lawsuit. Because the D&O insurer demonstrated, as a matter of law, that the exclusion applied and no coverage existed, the high court also held the extra-contractual claims were properly disposed. See Great Am. Ins. Co. v. Primo, 2017 WL 749870, at *4 (Tex. Feb. 24, 2017). The individual insured, Robert Primo, previously served as a director and treasurer of Briar Green Condominium Association in Houston, Texas. In 2008 and, shortly before resigning, Primo wrote himself two checks from Briar Green’s account totaling roughly $100,000. Briar Green asserted the funds…
