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Casualty Matters reviews new liability developments affecting General Liability, Commercial Umbrella and Personal Umbrella business. Our underwriters provide perspectives on what the developments mean to insurers and specific types of insureds.
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Issue: December, 2009Language: English
Authors:
Charlie Kingdollar,
Mindy Pollack
Summary: This edition highlights emerging claims and law involving privacy and habitational risks. As usual, we also discuss developments on a variety of liability topics including Privacy, Internet and Security Breaches; Sexual Misconduct; Public Nuisance; Dramshop; Hotels; Contractors/Drywall; and Auto.
Issue: April, 2009Language: English
Authors:
Lane DeCoster,
Mindy Pollack
Summary: In this article we discuss the underwriting challenges posed by liquor liability, both dram shop and social host, and provide an overview of the laws shaping the exposures. We also highlight recent cases redrawing the parameters of liquor legal liability coverage. The rules can be nuanced and insurers need to know how to navigate them.
Issue: October, 2008Language: English
Author:
Mindy Pollack
Summary: This edition of Casualty Matters reviews recent developments in the courtroom, economy or laboratory that may create new insurance exposures for liability underwriters. We discuss cases, lawsuits and trends of importance to many GL, BOP, CU, HO and/or PU insurers. Our research in this publication includes Business Pursuits -- The blurring line between business and personal activities; Green Construction -- Will it lead to more defect claims?; Pollution Exclusions -- A strong trend toward enforcing policy language; and Emerging Issues Updates -- Bisphenol-A, nanotechnology, cell phones and more.
Issue: May, 2008Language: English
Summary: This publication reviews recent developments that signal major changes in tort law and insurance exposures. In particular, we highlight a legislative trend toward broadening tort remedies and recoveries. Our research includes: Tort Law Changes; Commercial and Social Host Liquor Liability; Construction Defects and Insurance Coverage; Employer Liability and Workers' Compensation; Internet Defamation and Cyberbullying Claims; as well as some Toxic Tort and Emerging Issues updates.
Issue: November, 2007Language: English
Summary: This edition of Casualty Matters focuses on important liability and coverage issues that are now being argued before several state supreme courts. We highlight the questions that will soon be answered in key states, and the potential impact on insurers. We also review the latest cases, regulations and other developments changing GL, BOP, CU, HO and/or PU exposures.
Issue: July, 2007Language: English
Author:
Charlie Kingdollar
Summary: This publication reviews new laws and decisions in 2007 that change liability rules and create new exposures for insurers. Research includes social host liability--laws and maps showing where liability is assigned in each state; state legislative changes on contractor insurance requirements; verdicts involving schools and blogs; tort law changes affecting damages and recoveries; new bad faith laws for first-party insurers; and updates on asbestos and nanotechnology.
Issue: April, 2007Language: English
Author:
Mindy Pollack
Summary: This publication reviews recent developments that create new insurance exposures and redefine existing ones. We discuss cases, lawsuits and trends of importance to many GL, BOP, CU, HO and/or PU insurers. It includes a focus on liquor liability in response to the significant number of state appellate and high court decisions on the topic.
Issue: December, 2006Language: English
Author:
Charlie Kingdollar
Summary: This edition of Casualty Matters reviews recent developments that test the boundaries of liability and coverage. We review cases, lawsuits and trends that signal new exposures for many GL, BOP, CU, HO and/or PU insurers. Our research in this publication includes: Secondhand smoke and property owners; Internet postings and defamation verdicts; UM/UIM claims and umbrella policies; Illegal immigration and demographics; and Retail websites and access requirements
Issue: June, 2006Language: English
Author:
Charlie Kingdollar
Summary: This article focuses on emerging issues affecting both personal and commercial lines of insurance. We review recent claim, litigation and coverage developments that may signal a new exposure or direction in claims. We discuss these issues and the implications, along with our additional observations on how the GL, BOP, CU, HO and/or PU insurer is affected. Our research in this publication includes: Expanding areas of premises liability; Nuisance laws and toxic tort claims; Nanotechnology developments; and Federal credit reporting law and growing insurer exposures.
Issue: April, 2006Language: English
Author:
Charlie Kingdollar
Summary: This edition of Casualty Matters focuses on Homeowners and Personal Umbrella exposures. We review recent coverage, liability and claim developments arising out of liability exposures in and around the home -- dogs, pools, fuel tanks, guns, computer use and miniature vehicles, for example. We discuss these issue and the implications, along with our additional observations on how the HO and/or PU insurer is affected. Our research in this publication includes: Coverage for shootings of multiple victims and how state courts have interpreted the number of occurrences, Dog bite claims and exclusions, Internet exposures, Coverage of motorized vehicles (mini-bikes, pocket bikes), Negligent entrustment claims, and Fuel oil, lead and mold exclusions and state regulatory views.
Issue: December, 2005Language: English
Author:
Charlie Kingdollar
Summary: **Available as PDF only. Hard copies no longer available.** In this inaugural issue of this newsletter series, we focus on cases and verdicts important to risks we often describe as "Main Street Business" -- retailers, contractors, small manufacturers and other entities with similar casualty exposures. We identify the specific types of risk, so clients can gauge its relevance to their book of business, and offer additional observations on what the developments mean to underwriters.
