Latest Property Headlines

All the headlines from our Property Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Property Damage from Unrest in Minneapolis: $55M and Rising

Jun 5 2020 // The city of Minneapolis says the looting and property damage that following the death of George Floyd in police custody has caused least $55 million in destruction so far. Vandals damaged or set fire to at least 220...

Does Invoking the ‘Insurrection Act of 1807’ Affect Property Coverage?

Jun 5 2020 // Rocks being thrown by President Trump are causing major ripples in the insurance pond. His declaration that Antifa would be labeled a terrorist organization raised questions regarding whether coverage would be excluded,...

Diverging Views: Is COVID a One-Off Catastrophe or Not?

Jun 5 2020 // While reinsurers are “open for business” and insurers and reinsurers are reporting the impacts of COVID-19 as a one-off catastrophe impacting earnings rather than capital, equity markets are viewing the...

Businesses Hurt First by Coronavirus Then by Looting Have New Insurance Questions

Jun 5 2020 // Al’s, a sporting-goods store tucked in Wilmington, Delaware’s small shopping district, opened during the Great Depression, weathered World War II and has been able to keep workers on the job during the...

Did Debate Over Business Income Insurance Just Get More Complicated?

Jun 4 2020 // As the insurance industry faces litigation and questions over virus-related claim denials, it could soon be dealing with another business income hurdle due to the civil unrest that has taken place in many U.S. cities...

Insurers Prepare for Claims as East States See Property Damage from Civil Unrest

Jun 4 2020 // Scenes that played out over the past few days in several East region states are serving as a stark reminder for the insurance industry of civil unrest that took place in New York and other U.S. states more than 50 years...

Riots in Wake of Floyd’s Death Could Become Most Costly Civil Disorder for Insurers

Jun 3 2020 // Rioting that erupted in cities across the country after peaceful protests mourning the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis may rival the 1992 Los Angeles riots to become the most costly civil disorder for insurers in...

Nevada Property Manager Paying $300K in Virus Eviction Ban Lawsuit

Jun 2 2020 // A Nevada-based property management company that issued eviction notices to tenants in Tacoma during the coronavirus pandemic has agreed to pay nearly $350,000 to resolve a lawsuit filed by Washington state Attorney General...

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...

Just Because It’s Not Covered Doesn’t Mean It’s Not Covered…The Entirety of Contract Doctrine – Part 2

Jun 1 2020 // Last month, I shared a claim I had consulted on involving mobile equipment. The adjuster had incorrectly denied the claim because he failed to read both the definition of “mobile equipment” and the exclusion...

South Dakota Property Owners Sue Over Recently Exposed Mine, Sinkhole

May 29 2020 // Residents of a Black Hawk, South Dakota, neighborhood where a sinkhole has exposed an abandoned mine endangering their properties have filed a $75.5 million lawsuit claiming government entities and private developers were...

California Lawmakers Move Toward Risk-Based Rates

May 28 2020 // As the Soviet Union ultimately learned the hard way, price controls are a guaranteed way to prolong shortages. It has taken a few years, but there are promising signs California lawmakers may finally be ready to learn the...

Massachusetts Division of Insurance Urges Carrier Flexibility with Vacancy Provisions

May 28 2020 // The Massachusetts Division of Insurance has notified all property and casualty insurance carriers in the state that they are expected to take steps to preserve insurance coverage for businesses ordered to shut down due to...

Join the Big Coronavirus Survey for the Entire Property/Casualty Insurance Industry

May 27 2020 // How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting you, your life, your work and your industry? Now and going forward? No matter where you work in the P/C insurance industry, your experience is important. Learn how your experience...

Lawmaker Details Federal Reinsurance for Pandemic Business Interruption, Event Losses

May 27 2020 // New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney has introduced the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act of 2020, a federal backstop for pandemic-related business interruption insurance modeled after the Terrorism Risk Insurance...

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Names Hunziker as APAC Head Property & Specialty

May 27 2020 // Swiss Re Corporate Solutions has appointed Robert Hunziker as Asia Pacific Head Property & Specialty, effective Sept. 1, 2020. In this role, Hunziker will be responsible for providing underwriting leadership, portfolio...

Property Damage – Is It Because the Government Says It Is?

May 27 2020 // Property Damage: Is it “Property Damage” Just Because a Jurisdictional Order Uses the Term “Property Damage”? Some plaintiff attorneys are almost giddy over the fact that several jurisdictions used...

Chubb Not Responsible for Superstorm Sandy Damage to Two Insureds’ Homes

May 26 2020 // A New Jersey appeals court has upheld a trial court’s ruling that Chubb Insurance Co. is not responsible for damages to two insureds’ homes caused by Superstorm Sandy because of a flood exclusion in their...

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...

The Facts About Supposed ‘Illegal Acts’ Exclusions

May 18 2020 // Is the Insurance Policy Affected if the Business Opens Against a Governor’s Orders: The Facts About Supposed “Illegal Acts” Exclusions States have gone to war against some municipalities over COVID-19....