The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, in M&M Sisters LLC v. Scottsdale Insurance Co., affirmed the district court’s dismissal of an insured’s third amended complaint against its insurance carrier for failure to state a claim for relief without further leave to amend. The plaintiffs, M&M Sisters LLC and its two owners Bertha Garcia and Maria Mendez, purchased a commercial general liability policy from the defendant, Scottsdale Insurance Co., covering an ... Keep Reading »
No Coverage Under Cybercrime Endorsement for Florida Fraudulent Wire Transfer
In Star Title Partners of Palm Harbor LLC v. Illinois Union Insurance Co., the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed judgment for the insurer and held that coverage did not exist under the plain language of a cybersecurity policy’s cybercrime endorsement for a Florida title company that was fraudulently induced to wire funds to the account of a fraudster impersonating a mortgage lender. In summer 2019, Star Title was hired by a homeowner to facilitate the sale of ... Keep Reading »
Investment Advisory Firm’s Unlawful Copying and Distribution of Industry Publication to Firm Employees Not Covered by Professional Liability Policy
A California court recently held that an investment advisory firm’s losses stemming from its alleged copying and distribution of Oil Daily, an energy industry publication, to the firm’s advisers were not covered by investment advisory professional liability policies the firm had procured. Energy Intelligence Group Inc. is the publisher of “newsletters and other publications for the highly-specialized global energy industry,” including Oil Daily. Energy Intelligence ... Keep Reading »
Fifth Circuit Leans on Well-Established Contractual Interpretation Doctrine to Preclude Coverage Under General Liability Policy
To paraphrase Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., a case “which appeals to the feelings and distorts the judgment” makes bad law. In the face of exceptionally tragic circumstances, however, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals resisted the urge to let its emotions carry the day. In Scottsdale Insurance Co. v. Discovering Me Academy LLC, the court instead adhered to well-established principles of Texas contract law to preclude coverage under a policy issued by ... Keep Reading »
Federal Court Rejects Computer Fraud Coverage for Social Engineering Loss
In SJ Computers LLC v. Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota recently addressed the scope of insurance available for a phishing scheme under the terms of a crime policy. The fact pattern leading to the insurance claim in SJ Computers is a familiar one: SJ Computers’ purchasing manager received fraudulent invoices from a bad actor purporting to be a legitimate vendor, ERI Direct. The invoices directed SJ ... Keep Reading »
Sixth Circuit Finds Unregistered Security Exclusion Bars Professional Liability Claim
In Saoud v. Everest Indemnity Insurance Co., the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals held that an “unregistered security exclusion” barred coverage for various underlying lawsuits under a professional liability policy. The policyholder, William Saoud, was in the business of selling insurance-related products, such as annuities, life insurance, and long-term health care products. In 2017 and 2018, Saoud sold some of his clients an investment product called the 1 Global ... Keep Reading »
Ninth Circuit Finds Settlement and Two-Year Limitations Statute Barred “Bad Faith” Workers’ Compensation Suit by Man Struck by Lightning
In Larson v. Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Co., the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that, under Hawaii law, unambiguous broad settlement release language and the two-year tort statute of limitations barred claims that Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Co. somehow improperly handled a workers’ compensation claim. In February 2002, Lonnie Larson filed for workers’ compensation under his Liberty policy, claiming that he was struck by lightning during the course of ... Keep Reading »
Federal Court Finds Selling Products in New Jersey Is Insufficient to Establish Personal Jurisdiction in Case Regarding Insurance Coverage for Underlying New Jersey Action
A U.S. district judge ruled in a coverage dispute that an allegation that a company sold products in New Jersey is insufficient to establish personal jurisdiction in a related insurance coverage action. In Ohio Security Insurance Co. v. Premium Food Group Inc., the court ruled that the fact that the insureds sought coverage for an underlying suit filed in New Jersey was not sufficient to exercise specific personal jurisdiction over two New York corporations. Underlying ... Keep Reading »
Louisiana Supreme Court Finds “Assault and Battery Exclusion” Barred Coverage for Kidnapping at Insured’s Motel
In granting summary judgment to the insurer and finding no duty to defend, Louisiana’s highest court reversed a trial court’s ruling on the basis of the “clear and unambiguous” assault and battery exclusion in a commercial general liability policy. Kazan tragically arose from a kidnapping and subsequent homicide of a guest of the insured — a motel operating in Alexandria, Louisiana. As the victim was attempting to retrieve something from her vehicle, another motel ... Keep Reading »
Sixth Circuit Holds Attorneys’ Fee Award Does Not Constitute Damages Under Professional Liability Policy
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed an order granting summary judgment in favor of the insurer in Wesco Insurance Co. v. Roderick Linton Belfance LLP, holding that the award of attorneys’ fees was a “sanction” and thus was not covered damages under the Wesco professional liability policy. This matter concerned an award of attorneys’ fees stemming from claims that were brought against schools under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The ... Keep Reading »
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