Applying Maine law, a federal district court has held that an insurer did not have a duty to defend an insured mental health agency in a billing fraud investigation by the state health department because the sanctions sought by the department did not constitute “damages” within the meaning of the insured’s professional liability policy. Oceanway… Continue Reading
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Excess Insurer Not Bound by Primary Insurer’s Payment of Uninsurable Disgorgement Settlement
Posted in Excess insurance/exhaustion, LossApplying California law, the United States District Court for the Central District of California has held that a follow-form excess insurer was not bound by the primary insurer’s decision to pay a settlement because the settlement constituted uninsurable disgorgement that did not trigger the excess insurer’s policy. Axis Reinsurance Co. v. Northrop Grumman Corp., No.… Continue Reading
Attorneys’ Fees Awarded Pursuant to Statute Are Not “Damages”
Posted in LossAn Ohio federal court has held that attorneys’ fees awarded under a fee-shifting provision contained in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) do not constitute covered “damages” under an insurance policy. Wesco Ins. Co. v. Roderick Linton Belfance LLP, 2018 WL 4510093 (N.D. Ohio Sept. 19, 2018).… Continue Reading
Law Firm’s Dispute Over Contingency Fee Does Not Involve Covered Loss
Posted in LossApplying Texas law, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has held that an insured law firm’s dispute with its clients about the scope of the firm’s contingency fee award did not involve covered Loss. John M. O’Quinn, P.C. v. Lexington Ins. Co., 2018 WL 5075485 (5th Cir. Oct. 18, 2018).… Continue Reading
Negligent Supervision of Funds Exclusion Bars Coverage for Trust Investment Losses
Posted in Loss, Professional ServicesThe United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, applying Virginia law, has held that a professional liability policy’s exclusion for “negligent supervision” of funds applied to bar coverage for damages resulting from an insured attorney’s reckless investment of trust assets. ALPS Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Farthing, 2018 WL 4927366 (E.D.… Continue Reading
Disgorgement of Profits Realized by Insured’s Customers is a Penalty, Not Insurable Loss
Posted in LossA New York appellate court has held that a $140 million disgorgement payment by an insured broker-dealer to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not constitute insurable loss even though the payment did not disgorge the insured’s own ill-gotten gains, but rather those of its customers. J.P. Morgan Secs. Inc. v. Vigilant Ins. Co.,… Continue Reading
Lawsuit Arising Out of Attorney-Client Fee Dispute Did Not Seek “Damages”
Posted in LossIn a win for Wiley Rein’s client, a federal district court applying Connecticut law has held that an insurer has no duty to defend or indemnify an attorney in a lawsuit that arose out of a fee dispute and did not seek any covered relief. Continental Cas. Co. v. Parnoff, 2018 WL 4356746 (D. Conn.… Continue Reading
Court Finds Insurer Entitled to Recoupment, Declines to Follow ALI Restatement on the Law of Liability Insurance
Posted in Defense Costs, LossA Delaware trial court, applying Tennessee law, has ruled that an insurer was entitled to recover defense costs it advanced under a reservation of rights for a non-covered claim. Catlin Specialty Ins. Co. v. CBL & Assocs. Props., 2018 WL 3805868 (Del. Super. Ct. Aug. 9, 2018). In so doing, the court cited the American… Continue Reading
Settlement Payments Not Uninsurable Disgorgement Where Not Conclusively Linked To Improperly Acquired Funds
Posted in Loss, Public Policy prohibition on insuranceApplying New York law, the Delaware Supreme Court has held that settlement payments that were not conclusively linked to disgorgement damages were insurable under New York public policy. In re TIAA-CREF Ins. Appeals, 2018 WL 3620873 (Del. July 30, 2018).… Continue Reading
Investigation Seeking Sanctions and Return of Fees Sought No Covered “Damages”
Posted in LossIn a win for Wiley Rein’s client, a Louisiana federal district court has held that an insurer has no duty to defend an attorney in an investigation that sought only sanctions, the return of legal fees, and other non-covered relief. Andry Law Group, LLC v. CNA Fin. Corp., 2018 WL 3642003 (E.D. La. Aug. 1,… Continue Reading
No Coverage Available Under Crime Policy for Losses Not Discovered “During the Policy Period”
Posted in LossThe United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has held that where an occurrence-based crime policy covers only losses discovered “during the Policy Period,” no coverage is available for losses discovered after the policy period concluded, despite the fact that a prior policy issued to the insured contained a discovery period extending… Continue Reading
Text Messages Sent in Violation of TCPA Held to Implicate Professional Services Coverage
Posted in Loss, Professional ServicesA New York federal district court, applying New York law, has held that the sending of unsolicited text message advertisements in violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) triggered professional services coverage under a Miscellaneous Professional Liability (MPL) policy. Illinois Union Ins. Co. v. US Bus Charter & Limo, Inc., 2018 WL 1193464 (E.D.N.Y.… Continue Reading
TCPA Statutory Damages Are Uninsurable Penalties Under Colorado Law
Posted in LossApplying Colorado law, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has held that statutory damages sought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act are uninsurable penalties, and that injunctive relief does not constitute “damages.” Ace American Ins. Co. v. Dish Network, LLC, 2018 WL 988404 (10th Cir. Feb. 21, 2018).… Continue Reading
Washington Court Finds Coverage for Fraudulently Originated Loans Repurchased by Now-Defunct Bank
Posted in LossA Washington federal court has denied an insurer’s motion for summary judgment regarding coverage under a fidelity bond issued to a now-defunct bank for losses incurred in connection with fraudulently originated loans the bank purchased, resold, and ultimately repurchased pursuant to contractual obligation. The court held that the loan originators were “Employees” under the policy,… Continue Reading
No Indemnification for Insured’s “Restitutionary In Nature” Settlement Payments, Even Without Admission of Guilt or a Final Adjudication
Posted in Loss, Personal Profit/Advantage exclusion, Public Policy prohibition on insuranceThe United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida has denied an insured’s request for indemnity from its insurer for the amount owed under a settlement agreement with the state of Florida over grand theft charges against the insured. The court held that, under Florida law, the settlement does not constitute covered “Loss”… Continue Reading
No Coverage Available for Employment-Related Claims Under Policy D&O and EPL Coverage Sections
Posted in LossThe United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts has held that coverage is unavailable for a complaint alleging violations of the California Labor Code and the California Business and Professions Code because the complaint did not constitute an employment claim as defined by the Policy’s EPL Coverage Section and triggered an exclusion in… Continue Reading
Insurer’s Allegations that Declaratory and Injunctive Relief Are Not Covered Loss Survive Motion to Dismiss
Posted in Excess insurance/exhaustion, Loss, Wrongful ActThe United States District Court for the Northern District of California has denied an insured’s motion to dismiss an umbrella insurer’s declaratory judgment action. Great American Ins. Co. v. Quintana Homeowners Ass’n., 2017 WL 3453394 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 11, 2017). The insurer alleged that it had no duty to defend or indemnify after exhaustion of… Continue Reading
Insurer May Not Rescind Renewal Policy Based on Misrepresentations in Prior Policy’s Application
Posted in Loss, Prior Knowledge/Warranty Exclusion, RescissionAn Illinois intermediate appellate court, applying Illinois law, has held that a renewal insurance policy may only be rescinded based on material misrepresentations made in the renewal application, and not based on misrepresentations made in applications for prior policies. Ill. State Bar Ass’n Mut. Ins. Co. v. Rex Carr Law Firm, 2017 WL 2806126 (Ill.… Continue Reading
Court Finds Hotel Worker Not “Employee” Under Policy for Theft Loss Coverage
Posted in LossThe United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, applying Virginia law, has held that a hotel’s former maintenance worker was not an “employee” as defined by a business insurance policy, thereby precluding coverage for loss resulting from the worker’s theft. GRM Mgmt., LLC v. Cincinnati Ins. Co., 2017 WL 1712520 (E.D. Va.… Continue Reading
Texas Court Holds Disgorgement Amounts Uninsurable as a Matter of Law
Posted in Loss, Personal Profit/Advantage exclusionThe United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, applying Texas law, and adopting the recommendation of a magistrate judge, has held that reimbursement of excessive executive compensation constitutes disgorgement and is therefore uninsurable as a matter of law under a directors and officers policy. Twin City Fire Ins. Co. v. Oceaneering Int’l,… Continue Reading
Disgorgement Payment Is Insurable Loss Where Payment Did Not Disgorge Insured’s Own Profits, but Those of its Customers
Posted in Loss, Personal Profit/Advantage exclusion, Prior Knowledge/Warranty ExclusionA New York trial court, applying New York law, has held that a $140 million disgorgement payment by an insured broker-dealer to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission constitutes insurable loss, based on evidence that the payment did not disgorge the insured’s ill-gotten gains, but rather those of its customers. J.P. Morgan Secs. Inc. v.… Continue Reading
NY Appeals Court Holds FCRA Statutory Damages Are Covered Damages
Posted in LossA New York state intermediate appeals court has affirmed a lower court’s holding that statutory damages paid as part of a settlement of a Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) suit are covered compensatory damages, rather than non-covered penalties under the relevant errors and omissions liability policy. Navigators Ins. Co. v. Sterling Infosystems, Inc., 2016 WL… Continue Reading
Insurer Has No Duty to Defend Claim Seeking Restitution and Other Unspecified Relief
Posted in Loss, Personal Profit/Advantage exclusion, Wrongful ActAn Illinois federal district court has held that a lawsuit seeking to recover amounts an insured wrongfully refused to pay to another sought only uninsurable restitutionary-type relief, not “Damages,” and thus did not trigger an insurer’s defense obligations under an E&O policy. Westport Ins. Corp. v. M.L. Sullivan Ins. Agency, Inc., 2017 WL 56635 (N.D.… Continue Reading
Settlement of Class Actions for Allegedly Withheld Profits Not Disgorgement
Posted in Defense Costs, Loss, Public Policy prohibition on insuranceApplying New York and Delaware law, the Superior Court of Delaware has held that a retirement benefits provider’s settlement of three class actions seeking payment of alleged profits did not constitute disgorgement and was insurable under the provider’s professional liability policies. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Servs. LLC v. Illinois Nat’l Ins. Co., 2016 WL 6534271… Continue Reading