Sams is editor of ClaimsJournal.com, the online resource and daily newsletter for property/casualty insurance claims professionals. ClaimsJournal is a member of the Wells Media Group. Sams can be reached at jsams@wellsmedia.com
July 7, 2020
A trial court judge in Lansing, Michigan handed a victory to insurers in what may be the nation’s first final ruling on the question of whether a property insurer is liable for financial damages caused by a coronavirus closure order. …
July 6, 2020
A plaintiff’s attorney cannot avoid a showdown with a cruise line at the federal courthouse in Miami simply by pleading the case as an action that does not require the court’s jurisdiction under admiralty law, a federal appellate court ruled …
July 1, 2020
An insurer is not liable for injuries caused by a policyholder who shot a 15-year-old boy in the head because the policy excluded coverage for criminal acts, a split Georgia Court of Appeals panel decided. The 2-1 ruling by the …
June 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 United States history. The …
June 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 North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah …
June 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 rise into the thousands. “Ultimately, …
June 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 mid-range estimate by $10 billion. In a report published in …
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 mid-range estimate by $10 billion. In a report published on …
May 22, 2020
Fire-risk scores now used by insurance underwriters can sometimes can make it challenging for homeowners to find coverage. Zesty.ai, a California insurtech start-up, is among a handful of firms working to fine-tune fire-risk scores so that some homeowners have a …
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 rise into the thousands. “Ultimately, I …