Property
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November 04, 2025
Ohio School Says Liberty Mishandled Roof Collapse Claim
A Liberty Mutual unit must cover losses stemming from a roof collapse at a high school after a heavy snowfall, an Ohio school district told a federal court, saying the insurer's handling of the claim prolonged the building's exposure to the elements and worsened the damage.
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November 04, 2025
Condo Association's $4.3M Hailstorm Suit Filed Too Late
A condominium association's property insurer owes no coverage for an over $4.3 million hail damage claim, an Illinois federal court ruled, finding that because the association failed to file a properly "sworn" proof of loss, a suit-filing deadline made its coverage action untimely.
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November 04, 2025
SMEs Fight Liberty Mutual On 'Discovery' Wording And COVID
A group of businesses on Tuesday argued that Liberty Mutual Insurance should pay out for disruption caused by COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns, on the opening day of the latest trial in a series of cases to examine insurance firms' policies in the wake of the pandemic.Â
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November 03, 2025
Equipment Breakdown Insurers Needn't Cover Iron Plant Loss
Nucor Corp.'s equipment breakdown insurance doesn't cover an industrial accident at its Louisiana-based direct reduced iron plant, a North Carolina state court ruled, saying no breakdown, as defined by the policy, occurred.
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October 31, 2025
Insurer Needn't Cover Conn. Property Co.'s Damage Claim
A Nationwide unit doesn't owe coverage for a property owner's claim over a burst water pipe that resulted in a sudden settling of a commercial building and made it unsafe for tenants, a Connecticut federal court ruled, finding that the policy's earth movement and settling exclusions apply.
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October 30, 2025
Cyber Coverage Growing Amid More Ransomware, Pro Says
Ransomware attacks have been increasing in recent years, while the market for cyberinsurance is growing and becoming more competitive, said a cyberinsurance expert at a media briefing from the American Academy of Actuaries on Thursday.
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October 30, 2025
Pa. Justices' Auto Exclusion Ruling May Spur Policy Changes
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is tackling whether policy language precluding coverage for injuries "arising out of" the ownership or use of "autos" is ambiguous, and its answer could set up auto liability carriers in the state to reevaluate how they define such terms even in standard form policies, experts say.
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October 30, 2025
Massive Liability Issues Centered At Anderson Kill Conference
Evolving cyber and artificial intelligence risks, along with the massive claims associated with forever chemicals and sexual abuse suits, should be among the top insurance considerations for policyholders today, attorneys and brokers said at a conference hosted by Anderson Kill PC.
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October 30, 2025
Fire Coverage Dispute Underscores Shared-Limit Policy Risks
A California federal court's recent decision rejecting a Los Angeles property owner's bid to recover an additional $2.1 million for fire losses represents a cautionary tale regarding the coverage issues that can arise in "shared limit" property insurance programs. Here, Madelyn Rodriguez of Clausen Choquette PLLC's insurance recovery practice spoke to Law360 about the advantages of these policies, the challenges of determining limits and interpreting policy language, and measures that insureds and their brokers can take to ward off potential problems.
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October 30, 2025
Insurance Litigation Week In Review
The Second Circuit upheld Citgo's $54.2 million judgment against insurers over seized Venezuelan oil cargo, a California federal court officially approved an $80 million class settlement over life insurance terminations and a New York federal court sent the state's data breach lawsuit against Allstate entities back to state court. Here, Law360 takes a look at the past week's top insurance news.
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October 29, 2025
9th Circ. Upholds Insurer's Win Over Retaining Wall Failure
The Ninth Circuit upheld a Washington federal court's no-coverage decision over a contractor's $2.66 million settlement relating to faulty retaining walls it constructed, agreeing Wednesday that a "sudden and accidental" exception in an "impaired property" exclusion did not apply to reinstate coverage for one wall that had failed.
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October 28, 2025
Insurers Can't Avoid Tanger's COVID Coverage Suit In NC
Two insurers can't avoid Tanger Outlets' lawsuit seeking coverage for more than $50 million in pandemic losses, North Carolina's business court ruled, finding the retail outlet chain sufficiently connected its insured interests to its operations in North Carolina.
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October 27, 2025
Insurer, Roofer Settle $4.7M Poultry Farm Storm Damage Suit
An Arkansas federal judge on Monday dismissed with prejudice Norfolk & Dedham Mutual Fire Insurance Co.'s suit against Rogers Manufacturing Corp. over $4.7 million in damage from roof collapses after the parties told the court that they'd satisfied all the terms of a settlement reached earlier this month.
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October 27, 2025
LA Property Owner Can't Get Extra $2.1M For Fire Claim
An insurer needn't pay an additional $2.1 million in coverage to the owner of a Los Angeles property that was damaged in a fire, a California federal court ruled Monday, finding the insurer already paid all benefits due under the policy.
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October 27, 2025
Amazon Sued By Conn. Family After Toy Battery Caught Fire
A Connecticut family says they were forced to vacate their home for 75 days and get rid of most of their possessions after a battery for model cars and trains purchased from Amazon exploded, setting the home on fire and releasing toxic fumes.
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October 27, 2025
Insurer Says Hotel's $4M Trafficking Judgment Not Covered
A Chubb unit told a Pennsylvania federal court that it has no duty to defend or indemnify a former Ramada Inn franchise operator that was ordered to pay the hotel chain's parent company over $4 million after it settled claims that the hotel profited from human trafficking.
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October 24, 2025
USAA Defends Medical Reimbursement Cuts In Coverage Row
Two USAA units sought to toss two insureds' proposed class action accusing the companies of under-reimbursing their medical providers via claim handling software, telling a Washington federal court "there is no admissible evidence that plaintiffs' treatments were medically necessary and related to their auto accidents."
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October 24, 2025
Minn. Court Backs Insurer In Hail Damage Coverage Dispute
A Hanover Insurance unit has no duty to cover a Minnesota school district for hail damage to the roofs of both its schools, a Minnesota federal court ruled, finding an exclusion barring coverage for "cosmetic damage" applied.
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October 23, 2025
Louvre Heist Exposes Coverage Gaps For Art Collections
The theft of approximately $102 million worth of historic artifacts from the Louvre Museum in Paris provided a stunning example of the risks that major cultural institutions can face and the often limited insurance options available to cover financial losses.
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October 23, 2025
Illinois Seeking Transparency With State Farm Suit, Pros Say
In suing State Farm for homeowners insurance data, the state of Illinois is taking an approach to regulating carriers with transparency in mind that could be replicated elsewhere, but lowering climate-influenced costs will be a challenge, experts said.
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October 23, 2025
Deposit Insurance Increase Needs More Analysis, Experts Say
Deposit insurance coverage could increase for the first time since 2010 due to a bipartisan proposal to expand the limit to $10 million per depositor for certain transaction accounts, but banking and insurance experts say legislators should conduct further cost-benefit analyses to ensure safeguards are in place for high-insured deposits.Â
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October 23, 2025
State Farm, Auto Shop End Customer Interference Row
State Farm and a Tesla-approved auto repair shop asked a Maryland federal court Thursday to formally dismiss the repair shop's lawsuit accusing the insurer of defamation and interfering with its business by dissuading its insureds from using its services.
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October 23, 2025
Electric Co. Says Contractor Owes $5M For Denver Airport Job
An electric infrastructure company accused a contractor in Colorado state court Wednesday of withholding over $5 million in payments for work completed in an expansion project at the Denver International Airport.
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October 23, 2025
Insurance Litigation Week In Review
New Jersey's top court agreed to consider the Third Circuit's underinsured motorist coverage questions, the Fifth Circuit revived an oil company's suit seeking coverage for a faulty cement settlement and the Eighth Circuit affirmed that a cleaning equipment manufacturer didn't obtain adequate coverage under its lease with a warehouse owner. Here, Law360 takes a look at the past week's top insurance news.
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October 22, 2025
NC Biz Court Bulletin: COVID Coverage, A Suspect Signature
The North Carolina Business Court has rounded the corner into fall with insurance disputes over COVID-19 coverage at a chain of outlet malls and the theft of over $900,000 in legal THC reportedly stolen from a warehouse in the Southwest.
Expert Analysis
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What EPA's Continued Defense Of PFAS Rule Means For Cos.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent decision to continue defending a Biden-era rule designating two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as Superfund hazards may provide the EPA with significant authority over national PFAS cleanup policy — and spur further litigation by both government and private parties, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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How Financial Cos. Can Prep As NYDFS Cyber Changes Loom
Financial institutions supervised by the New York State Department of Financial Services can prepare for two critical cybersecurity requirements relating to multifactor authentication and asset inventories, effective Nov. 1, by conducting gap analyses and allocating resources to high-risk assets, among other steps, say attorneys at Pillsbury.
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Understanding And Managing Jurors' Hindsight Bias
Hindsight bias — wherein events seem more predictable after the fact than they were beforehand — presents a persistent cognitive distortion in jury decision-making, but attorneys can mitigate its effects at trial through awareness, repetition and framing, say consultants at Courtroom Sciences.
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Looking Beyond Property Damages For Wildfire Survivors
Personal injury attorneys seeking compensation for victims of wildfires like those in Los Angeles County must carefully apply a multidisciplinary approach that looks beyond obvious property loss to the full spectrum of damages, considering factors like emotional distress, disruption of community and the psychological toll of displacement, says Farid Yaghoubtil at Downtown L.A. Law Group.
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Demystifying Generative AI For The Modern Juror
In cases alleging that the training of artificial intelligence tools violated copyright laws, successful outcomes may hinge in part on the litigator's ability to clearly present AI concepts through a persuasive narrative that connects with ordinary jurors, say Liz Babbitt at IMS Legal Strategies and Devon Madon at GlobalLogic.
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How New Rule On Illustrative Aids Is Faring In Federal Courts
In the 10 months since new standards were codified for illustrative aids in federal trials, courts have already begun to clarify the rule's application in different contexts and the rule's boundaries, say attorneys at Bernstein Litowitz.
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'Occurrence' Lessons From Policyholder's COVID Ruling Win
The Minnesota Court of Appeals recently handed policyholders an important win in Life Time v. Zurich American Insurance, reversing a trial court ruling that had capped coverage under a communicable disease endorsement at a single occurrence, showing the importance of fact-specific inquiry, say attorneys at Hunton.
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Strategies To Get The Most Out Of A Mock Jury Exercise
A Florida federal jury’s recent $329 million verdict against Tesla over a fatal crash demonstrates how jurors’ perceptions of nuanced facts can make or break a case, and why attorneys must maximize the potential of their mock jury exercises to pinpoint the best trial strategy, says Jennifer Catero at Snell & Wilmer.
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Notable Developments At The NAIC Summer Meeting
Attorneys at Debevoise discuss their top takeaways from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners summer meeting last month, including developments on risk-based capital requirements and the evolving use of artificial intelligence in insurance practices.
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Avoiding Unforced Evidentiary Errors At Trial
To avoid self-inflicted missteps at trial, lawyers must plan their evidentiary strategy as early as their claims and defenses, with an eye toward some of the more common pitfalls, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.
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Resilience Planning Is New Key To Corporate Sustainability
While the current wave of deregulation may reduce government enforcement related to climate issues, businesses still need to evaluate how climate volatility may affect their operations and create new legal risks — making the apolitical concept of resilience increasingly important for companies, says J. Michael Showalter at ArentFox Schiff.
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When AI Denies, Insurance Bad Faith Claims May Follow
Two recent rulings from Minnesota and Kentucky federal courts signal that past statements about claims-handling practices may leave insurers using artificial intelligence programs in claims administration vulnerable to suits alleging bad faith and unfair trade practices, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.
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Key Insurance Coverage Considerations For AI Data Centers
The burgeoning artificial intelligence industry has sparked a surge in data center projects — a trend likely to be accelerated by the White House's AI Action Plan — but with these complex facilities come equally complex risks, engendering important insurance coverage considerations, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.