Articles by Jim Sams

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

Trump Tells Insurers to Pay Virus Claims If Pandemics Not Excluded

President Donald Trump has staked out his position in a legal battle over business-interruption claims: Unless the policy excludes pandemics, insurers should pay. Trump spoke about the issue for a minute and a half during his daily coronavirus task force …

D&O Insurers Brace For Coronavirus ‘Event Driven’ Litigation

What may be the first U.S. securities lawsuits alleging misdeeds related to coronavirus were filed in late March — one against a cruise line and another against a pharmaceutical company that claimed to have developed a vaccine for COVID-19. There …

Insurers Report Uptick in Claims Against Architects and Engineers

Increased billings by architecture and engineering firms generated bigger professional liability premiums in 2019 but also led to the first upswing in claims activity in several years, Ames & Gough said in a report. The brokerage, based in McLean, Va., …

Liability Insurers Report Rise in Claims Against Architects and Engineers

Increased billings by architecture and engineering firms generated bigger professional liability premiums in 2019 but also led to the first upswing in claims activity in several years, Ames & Gough said in a report. The brokerage, based in McLean, Va., …

Consumer Groups Want Auto Premiums to Reflect Coronavirus Curb on Driving

The shutdown of workplaces and gathering spots around the country to slow the spread of coronavirus may lead to a sharp reduction in auto insurance claims. Two consumer groups want to make sure that insurance carriers don’t enjoy any windfall. …

Coronavirus Impact on Workers’ Compensation Limited But Some Workers May Be Covered

The outbreak of coronavirus has already resulted in some workers’ compensation claims and more are expected. But whether those claims are going to succeed depends on the individual circumstances and the state where the infection occurred. While compensability issues will …

Restaurant Suit Tests Business Interruption Insurance for Coronavirus Shutdowns

A restaurant in the heart of the New Orleans tourism district filed a lawsuit on Monday asking a state judge for a declaratory judgment that its business-interruption policy will cover its damages if it is ordered to close by civil …

Virus Impact on Workers’ Compensation Limited But Some Workers May Be Covered

The outbreak of coronavirus has already resulted in some workers’ compensation claims and more are expected. But whether those claims are going to succeed depends on the individual circumstances and the state where the infection occurred. While compensability issues will …

Insurers Win Antitrust ‘Steering’ Lawsuits Filed by Body Shops

A federal appellate court threw out most of the claims by automotive body shops in Indiana, Utah and Mississippi that alleged that major insurers violated antitrust laws and engaged in anticompetitive practices by steering policyholders to “approved” shops. The 11th …

Coronavirus Work-from-Home Response May Expand Cyber Risk

As U.S. employers ask employees to work from home to avoid exposure to coronavirus, they may be exposing themselves to another kind of risk: Cyberattacks. Aon recently issued an advisory cautioning employers to take steps to ensure that work-from-home employees …