Hunton Insurance Recovery Blog

The Eleventh Circuit recently confirmed the rule that “other insurance” clauses should not be used to disadvantage policyholders. Nat’l Cas. Co. v. Georgia Sch. Bd. Ass’n - Risk Mgmt. Fund, No. 22-13779, 2023 WL 5977299, at *1 (11th Cir. Sept. 14, 2023). In a dispute between an insurance company and a public risk management fund, both insurance policies included “other insurance” clauses stating that each insurer would only provide excess insurance coverage where the policyholder is covered by other insurance. The district court found that the clauses were irreconcilable because both insurance policies could not provide only excess insurance coverage—at least one policy would need to provide primary coverage. Because of the conflict, the Georgia federal district court applied Georgia’s irreconcilable-clauses rule and held that each policy must provide coverage to the policyholder on a pro rata basis. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s application of Georgia’s irreconcilable-clauses rule.

Boston-based insurance coverage partner Geoffrey Fehling has been appointed to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Financial Services Leadership Council.

The Chamber’s Leadership Councils—focusing on topics like climate and energy, health care and life sciences, and higher education—draw together select groups of business leaders with an interest in specific policy areas to connect with one another, share ideas and perspectives, and help inform and develop the Chamber’s policy positions. The Financial Services Leadership Councill works to identify ...

In HDI Global Specialty SE v. PF Holdings LLC, the Eleventh Circuit recently affirmed a district court ruling that the insurers of two apartment management companies did not have to cover a $54 million arbitration award against the companies for their alleged mismanagement of government-subsidized apartments. The Eleventh Circuit held that management companies’ failure to cooperate breached general liability insurance policies issued by the insurers.

Sanctions are an extreme remedy; frequently sought, but seldom granted.  Such was the case in Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s action on behalf of hotel and casino, Treasure Island, LLC (“Treasure Island”), against Affiliated FM Insurance Company (“AFM”) in federal court in Nevada, where AFM “hid” documents which refute the insurer’s defense on the central disputed issue in Treasure Island’s case—and many more actions seeking insurance coverage for losses arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.  A copy of the sanctions order can be found here.

In the complex world of mergers and acquisitions, it is more important than ever for businesses to consider insurance issues early and often. In a recent Bloomberg Law article, Hunton attorneys Syed S. Ahmad, Adam Lyons and Alex D. Pappas outline why businesses must fulsomely evaluate the insurance implications of proposed corporate transactions. The article describes the specific pitfalls businesses may face if they overlook insurance issues. The article then discusses the legal and practical effects of anti-transfer provisions, which could be used by insurers to deny or limit ...

The Delaware Supreme Court recently affirmed a grant of summary judgment in favor of a mortgage lender who sought coverage for a government investigation under its management liability insurance policy, in the case ACE American Ins. Co. v. Guaranteed Rate, Inc., No. 360, 2022 (Del.). We previously reported on the trial court’s grant of summary judgment to the policyholder and ruling in favor of the policyholder on cross-motions for judgment on the pleadings. The Supreme Court rejected the insurers’ arguments that it had no duty to defend the policyholder in connection with a $15 million False Claims Act (FCA) investigation and settlement.

As explained in a recent alert, now is the time for public companies to adopt compliant clawback policies. This is because the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently approved final rules on June 9, 2023, that required national securities exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq to implement new listing standards requiring public companies to institute compliant incentive-based compensation clawback policies. The NYSE and Nasdaq rules require listed companies to adopt clawback policies by December 1, 2023, which policies must apply to incentive compensation awarded after October 2, 2023. As public companies prepare to adopt compliant policies before the December 1, 2023 deadline, they should not only consider the clawback policy itself, but also the overlap between that policy and any applicable directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance. Doing so is important to address the potential new exposures created by the new SEC rules.

Earlier this month, the Eighth Circuit remanded a COVID-19 insurance recovery case to the district court on jurisdictional grounds. See Great River Ent., LLC v. Zurich Am. Ins. Co., No. 21-3815, 2023 WL 5839565 (8th Cir. Sept. 11, 2023).The Eighth Circuit’s decision underscores federal courts’ continued scrutiny of subject matter jurisdiction—especially in complex cases involving limited liability companies.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the way businesses operate, from the way we research and write, to the way data is processed, to the way inventory is measured and distributed, to the way employees are monitored and beyond. Soon, artificial intelligence might be providing life advice, saving hospital patients or accelerating the development of cities. It is already reshaping corporate America. Very few, if any, industries—including the insurance industry—are immune. As the consultancy McKinsey wrote in 2021, artificial intelligence “will have a seismic impact on all aspects of the insurance industry.” McKinsey’s prediction has proved prescient.

As AI continues to influence the insurance industry and the broader economy, new opportunities and risks abound for policyholders. It is therefore essential for policyholders to keep up-to-date about insurance law’s latest frontier. To help policyholders navigate this new frontier, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s insurance recovery team is introducing a new resource: The Hunton Policyholder’s Guide to Artificial Intelligence.

Representations and warranties coverage disputes are far more often resolved through informal or confidential proceedings rather than litigation. Law 360 recently published an article by Hunton insurance counsel Syed Ahmad, Patrick McDermott, and Jae Lynn Huckaba analyzing a rare representations and warranties dispute in the summary judgment stage of litigation between pH Beauty Holdings III Inc. and its representation and warranties insurers. As summarized below, the authors provide an overview of the issues in dispute, which related to the RWI retention, an exclusion related to the purchase price adjustment following closing, and pH Beauty’s bad faith claim.