A New York state trial court has held that plaintiffs alleging asbestos injuries may bring suit against a dissolved and liquidated New Jersey corporation and may effectuate service of process on the dissolved corporation by serving the corporation’s insurer. Germain v. A.O. Smith Water Products Co., No. 190281/12, 2013 WL 6065986 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Oct 23, 2013).
On September 24, 2013, in Farmers Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v. NJPLIGA, N.J. , 2013 WL5311272 (2013), the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that policy limits of solvent insurers must be exhausted before the New Jersey Property‐ Liability Insurance Guaranty Association ("NJPLIGA") could be responsible for long‐tail claims under policies issued by insolvent insurers. NJPLIGA is a statutory entity created to provide New Jersey policyholders with protection when insurers become insolvent.
A liability insurance company has the right to take over the defense of a policyholder and to control all settlement discussions. What happens if the carrier fails to pursue settlement negotiations with sufficient zeal, knowing full well that it was leaving the insured exposed to liability above policy limits? You may be at risk in California if your insurer does this to you.
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas has held that underlying claims that the insureds misused investment funds intended for the purchase of nonperforming mortgages did not allege negligent acts, errors, or omissions in performing “mortgage broker services” within the policy’s definition of “Insured Services.” Axis Surplus Ins. Co. v. Halo Asset Mgmt., LLC, 2013 WL 5416268 (N.D. Tex. Sept. 27, 2013).
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, applying Oklahoma law, has held that a bankruptcy or insolvency exclusion may bar coverage for the insured broker’s claim, where the broker’s actions were connected to the bankruptcy of its client’s former insurer. C.L. Frates & Co. v. Westchester Fire Ins. Co., 2013 WL 4734093 (10th Cir. Sept. 4, 2013).
On August 8, 2013, the Executive Life Insurance Company of New York (ELNY) Restructuring Agreement closed, following the denial of the last relevant appeal of the trial court’s Order of Liquidation and Approval of the Restructuring Agreement in May 2013.
Several insurers in liquidation proceedings have upcoming claims bar dates:
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has held that an E&O policy issued to a now-bankrupt credit counseling company did not cover claims arising under unfair trade practices statutes, but did cover claims arising under fair debt collection statutes. Hrobuchak v. Fed. Ins. Co., 2013 WL 2291875 (M.D. Pa. May 24, 2013). The court also held that carve-outs from the policy’s definition of loss did not preclude coverage for statutory damages or damages representing the return of fees paid to the insured.
- Foreclosure: an attorney may file a nonresident cost bond on behalf of a client without violating the prohibition against an attorney's acting as a surety for his client – US Bank, N.A. v. Boyer, No. 2D12-3942 (Fla.