Latest Claims Headlines
All the headlines from our Claims Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Maine Believes Increase in Unemployment Claims Tied to Fraud
Jun 2 2020 // Another 24,500 individuals have filed initial claims for unemployment benefits last week – more than double the number of claims the previous week, the Maine Department of Labor said Thursday. The large number of...
States Adding Laws to Shield Businesses From Liability for Coronavirus Claims
Jun 2 2020 // Four states have passed laws that grant businesses immunity from civil liability for claims relating to COVID-19, while legislation in at least three other states is advancing. The bills signed into law by the governors of...
Federal Court Allows Counties’ Clean Air Claims Against VW for Diesel Scandal
Jun 2 2020 // A U.S. appeals court ruled on Monday that Volkswagen AG cannot escape potential financial penalties from two counties in Florida and Utah that may amount to a “staggering” additional liability arising from the...
California Lowers Workers’ Comp COVID Estimate; Expects Claims Drop in Downturn
Jun 1 2020 // The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California on Monday released a study looking at the historic impact of economic downturns on workers’ comp claim frequency and the potential impact of...
California Workers’ Comp Bureau Lowers Mid-Range Estimate of COVID Costs by $10B
Jun 1 2020 // The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California published estimated costs of allowing state workers to receive benefits for COVID-19 claims without proving virus exposure at work, dropping a prior...
Coronavirus Business Interruption Suits Top 100; More Expected
Jun 1 2020 // A federal court has received notice that 101 lawsuits have been filed as of late May seeking coverage from insurers for business interruption losses caused by COVID-19. Plaintiffs attorneys say they expect the number to...
When Insurers Deny Claims, Brokers Are Next in Line for Allegations of Wrongdoing
Jun 1 2020 // In the wake of government orders shutting down or seriously limiting the operations of businesses to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak, many affected businesses have turned to their insurers for coverage. This has led to a...
Can a Governmental Entity Be Liable for Tort Claims? It Depends.
Jun 1 2020 // Everyone needs insurance. My entrance into the insurance world taught me that. The first place I worked in insurance specialized in providing insurance to fire departments and ambulance companies. Municipalities and their...
Australia’s 4 Summer Natural Disasters Cost Insurers More Than US$3.44 Billion
May 28 2020 // The cost of insurance claims from four natural catastrophes during Australia’s 2019-2020 summer has passed A$5.19 billion (US$3.44 billion), said the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA). Thousands of new claims and...
German Court Backs Damages Claims Against VW, Providing Clarity for 60,000 Cases
May 28 2020 // A German court has ruled that Volkswagen must buy back cars from owners of its diesel cars equipped with software that evaded emissions testing – but but consumers must accept the current value of the car based on the...
Viewpoint: What’s Fair When It Comes to Paying Insurance Claims?
May 28 2020 // The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has tragically resulted in the deaths of 100,000 Americans, changed our day-to-day lives, hampered our economy, and forced us to reexamine how we live. As the country moves to reopening, after...
California Workers’ Comp Bureau Lowers Mid-Range Estimate of COVID Costs by $10B
May 26 2020 // The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California published estimated costs of allowing state workers to receive benefits for COVID-19 claims without proving virus exposure at work, dropping a prior...
Update: AXA to Pay Business Interruption Claims to Restaurants After Court Ruling
May 26 2020 // A Paris court ruled last week that AXA should pay a restaurant owner two months of revenue losses caused by the virus pandemic. AXA had argued its policy did not cover business disruption caused by the health...
Insurers, Agents Propose Pandemic Business Relief Plan; Plaintiffs Offer BIG Compromise
May 22 2020 // Key segments of the property/casualty insurance industry, which is facing mounting claims for business interruption losses from the pandemic, have thrown their lobbying weight behind a proposed federal program to replace...
Some of Hand Sanitizer Purell’s Claims Called Misleading, Draw Lawsuits
May 22 2020 // Everyone’s favorite hand sanitizer may have to stand trial for claiming it can stop you from getting sick. A trio of lawsuits has hit Purell’s maker, Gojo Industries Inc., since the World Health Organization...
Federal Coronavirus Business Interruption Suits Now Top 100; Many More Expected
May 22 2020 // A federal court has received notice that 101 lawsuits have been filed as of Wednesday seeking coverage from insurers for business interruption losses caused by COVID-19. Plaintiffs attorneys say they expect the number to...
UK’s Aviva Expects COVID-19-Related Claims of Nearly $200 Million
May 21 2020 // British insurer Aviva expects 160 million pounds ($195 million) in claims related to the coronavirus pandemic and weaker second quarter sales, it said on Thursday, as government lockdowns aimed at containing the virus hit...
I’m From the Government and I’m Here to Help – Part 3
May 20 2020 // This is third in a series of posts where I plan to respond to the bills that several states have filed to force insurance companies to pay business income claims related to COVID-19. Not reimbursing insurers means higher...
When Insurers Deny Claims, Brokers Are Next in Line for Allegations of Wrongdoing
May 19 2020 // In the wake of government orders shutting down or seriously limiting the operations of businesses to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak, many affected businesses have turned to their insurers for coverage. This has led to a...
Talc Miner Imerys to Forfeit North America Units to Settle 14,000 Cancer Lawsuits
May 18 2020 // Imerys SA, which mines talc used in Johnson & Johnson’s iconic Baby Powder and other products, agreed to turn over its North American operations to resolve more than 14,000 lawsuits claiming the mineral caused...
