Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26, 2024, eventually making its way up to western North Carolina where it caused unprecedented damage. The estimated costs associated with these damages grow daily, with AccuWeather currently estimating losses between $145 and $160 billion. Earlier this week, we issued an alert with general tips policyholders should
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North Carolina Business Court Holds that Defense Costs Are Presumed Reasonable When Insurers Breach the Duty to Defend
Courts around the country have held that when an insurer breaches its duty to defend, it can face significant consequences, including limitations on the insurer’s ability to apply hindsight analysis when belatedly reviewing the insured’s defense invoices for reimbursement.…
Tips to Maximize Insurance Recoveries for Hurricane Helene Property Damage and Business Interruption Losses
RELATED UPDATE: Tips for Pursuing Insurance Claims and Disaster Relief Funding in North Carolina After Hurricane Helene (October 3, 2024)
Hurricane Helene made landfall on Thursday, September 26, 2024, carrying catastrophic 140 mph winds as the first known Category 4 storm to hit Florida’s Big Bend region since records began in 1851. By Friday, Hurricane…
Shifting Gears on Insurer Participation in Chapter 11 Proceedings: U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Longstanding “Insurance Neutrality” Doctrine
On June 6, 2024, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Gypsum Co., No. 22-1079, conferring broad standing to debtors’ pre-bankruptcy liability insurers to appear and be heard in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The ruling eliminates the “insurance neutrality” doctrine that previously constrained the participation of insurers in Chapter 11,…
Steps for Companies to Maximize Potential Insurance Recovery After the EPA’s Recent PFAS Designation
On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the designation of two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and their salts and structural isomers—as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).[1] In its designation, the EPA has identified over 85 industries…
Milk Coverage for All Its Worth While the “Steaks” Are High: An Insurance Primer on Coverage for the H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak
Dairy is the latest round of kitchen staples to suffer from viral diagnoses. In a first, the H5N1 virus, commonly referred to as the bird flu, is rapidly spreading through US cattle herds.[1] The virus has already been detected in pasteurized milk sitting on grocery store shelves.[2] The World Health Organization labeled…
Insurance Recovery for Businesses Impacted by the Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
On March 26, a containership struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, resulting in the collapse of the highway infrastructure and tragic loss of life.[i] As communities grieve the loss of their loved ones, businesses around the world are grappling with the economic fallout, including significant supply chain disruptions. The closure…
Merck-Settlement of $1.4 Billion Coverage Dispute Over NotPetya Cyberattack Places Renewed Spotlight on War Exclusions in 2024
Last week, Merck & Co. filed documents with the Supreme Court of New Jersey indicating that it reached a settlement with its “all risk” property insurers in a long-running coverage dispute involving over $1.4 billion in losses stemming from a 2017 NotPetya cyberattack that impacted tens of thousands of Merck computers. The coverage litigation, Merck…
The Appraisal Clause: What It Is, and When to Enforce It
The Appraisal Process
Even when an insurer agrees to cover an insurance claim, disputes often arise between the insurer and the insured as to the valuation of the loss, particularly for claims under commercial property and business interruption policies. In these circumstances, policyholders should consider whether and to what extent the dispute could be resolved…
What You May Not Know about The Supreme Court’s Ruling in SFFA—Insurance Coverage Implications for All Industries
On June 29, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in a pair of cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA). The Court in SFFA found the universities in violation of the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI…