Executive Summary Blog

Executive Summary Blog

Legal developments affecting professional liability insurers

Category Archives: Loss

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CEO’s Abuse of Position is Not “Professional Services” and Negligence Claim for Return of Monies Does Not Seek “Damages”

By Ashley-Anne L. Criss on Posted in Loss, Professional Services
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas has held that no coverage exists under an errors and omissions policy for claims arising out of the misappropriation and conversion of funds by an insured’s chief executive officer.  Kerr v. Gotham Ins. Co., 2019 WL 5268625 (E.D. Ark. Oct. 17, 2019).  The court… Continue Reading

Third Circuit Finds Major Shareholder Exclusion Ambiguous as Applied to Company Acquiring All of Insured’s Stock after Policy Period

By Ashley-Anne L. Criss on Posted in Insured v. Insured Exclusion, Loss
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, applying Delaware law, has held that a D&O policy’s Major Shareholder Exclusion, barring claims brought against the insured entity by a company owning five percent or more of the entity, was ambiguous as applied to a company acquiring one hundred percent of the insured’s stock… Continue Reading

Insured-Versus-Insured Exclusion Does Not Bar Coverage for Derivative Claim Arising from Alleged Employment-Related Misconduct

By Edward R. Brown on Posted in Allocation, “Claim”, Insured v. Insured Exclusion, Loss, Related Claims and associated exclusions
A Texas intermediate appellate court, applying Texas law, has held that an insured-versus-insured (IvI) exclusion did not bar coverage for an arbitration award because the underlying dispute arose from alleged wrongful employment practices, bringing the claim within an exception to the exclusion.  Prophet Equity LP v. Twin City Fire Ins. Co., 2019 WL 3886651 (Tex.… Continue Reading

Insurer Lacked Conclusive Evidence of Insured’s Involvement to Trigger I v. I Exclusion; Insured’s Compromise of Favorable Judgment to Settle Multiple Suits Not a “Loss”

By Ashley-Anne L. Criss on Posted in Allocation, Insured v. Insured Exclusion, Loss, Notice of Claim
The United States District Court for the Central District of California, applying California law, has held that an insurer lacked adequate information to deny coverage under an insured vs. insured exclusion in a D&O policy.  MJC Supply, LLC v. Scottsdale Ins. Co., 2019 WL 2372279 (C.D. Cal. June 4, 2019).  The court also held that… Continue Reading

Billing Fraud Penalties Do Not Constitute “Damages” Under Professional Liability Policy

By on Posted in Loss
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

Excess Insurer Not Bound by Primary Insurer’s Payment of Uninsurable Disgorgement Settlement

By Anna Schaffner on Posted in Excess insurance/exhaustion, Loss
Applying 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

Negligent Supervision of Funds Exclusion Bars Coverage for Trust Investment Losses

By Margaret Thomas on Posted in Loss, Professional Services
The 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

By Karen L. Toto on Posted in Loss
A 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

Court Finds Insurer Entitled to Recoupment, Declines to Follow ALI Restatement on the Law of Liability Insurance

By Edward R. Brown on Posted in Defense Costs, Loss
A 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

No Coverage Available Under Crime Policy for Losses Not Discovered “During the Policy Period”

By Emily S. Hart on Posted in Loss
The 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

By Edward R. Brown on Posted in Loss, Professional Services
A 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

By on Posted in Loss
Applying 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

By Margaret Thomas on Posted in Loss
A 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

By Nicole Audet Richardson on Posted in Loss, Personal Profit/Advantage exclusion, Public Policy prohibition on insurance
The 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

By Emily S. Hart on Posted in Loss
The 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

By Emily S. Hart on Posted in Excess insurance/exhaustion, Loss, Wrongful Act
The 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

By on Posted in Loss, Prior Knowledge/Warranty Exclusion, Rescission
An 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

By Ashley-Anne L. Criss on Posted in Loss
The 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