Whether construction defects are occurrences under Commercial General Liability (“CGL”) insurance policies is an issue that has been highly litigated in recent years. A review of cases from various states discloses that courts have been divided both in the way they decide and analyze this issue.… Continue Reading
Whether defective workmanship is an occurrence in a CGL policy was recently addressed by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in Decker Plastics, Inc. v. West Bend Mutual Insurance Company.1… Continue Reading
As most of you know, there is a spreading concern about the presence of the Zika virus in South Florida. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued travel warnings pertaining to the regions where the Zika virus has been confirmed. The first CDC travel advisory related to South Florida advised pregnant … Continue Reading
New Jersey has joined a growing number of jurisdictions in ruling that damages from a subcontractor’s faulty workmanship may trigger coverage under a Developer/General Contractor’s Commercial General Liability (“CGL”) policy. On August 4, 2016, the New Jersey Supreme Court rendered a unanimous decision affirming the Appellate Division’s holding that consequential damages stemming from a subcontractor’s … Continue Reading
Commercial property insurance policies often include damages sustained by a “direct supplier.” As an example, an insured that sells motorcycles, might rely on a particular motor cycle part supplier to provide parts used in their motorcycles. If the motorcycle part supplier sustains a loss, it could impact the insured’s business.… Continue Reading
When calculating a business income loss, it is important to look at the company as a whole and to look at individual segments of the business. Under a standard loss calculation where the projected “but for” revenues were considered by deducting the revenues from sales of substitute products and applying a profit factor to the … Continue Reading
When Hurricanes hit, residential and commercial property are commonly considered when you think of the insurance losses. But in coastal states hurricanes can also have a devastating impact on commercial and recreational marine losses. As with residential and commercial property, you need to be sure you review and understand your boat’s insurance policy. It is … Continue Reading
Farm stand fresh vegetables and sweet and savory baked goods can make any day better. Verrill Farms had been in the produce and bakery industry in Concord, Massachusetts, for decades but before you could buy deli sandwiches or take home fresh heirloom tomatoes, Verrill Farms was a daily farm started in 1918. The farm was … Continue Reading
When you have an insurance claim for a business loss, when a covered peril has interrupted business to a point there has been a landslide in business value or the doors are closed completely, you need to carry out a business valuation. Interestingly some of the best court cases discussing proper business valuation are not … Continue Reading
Business Interruption losses can be complicated, confusing, and for some business the damages are the end of the story. Having the right coverage for your business, your buildings, and the business property can make all the difference for your livelihood if a loss occurs. One additional coverage that is also common to purchase is Extra … Continue Reading
A public adjuster recently asked me about a hotel that was under a specific brand and the contract to maintain the brand required the rooms and furniture to match. Following a loss, the insurance company has refused to pay for the portions of the physically undamaged property and the policyholder paid millions to match the … Continue Reading
Merlin Law Group attorney Corey Harris asked me, “do you know of a case that stands for the proposition that when estimating the period of restoration, do you consider the amount of time needed for adjustment of the claim?” My quick response was “with any construction project, financing of the project is a time element … Continue Reading
Last year when I wrote about Five Towns Nissan v. Universal Underwriters Insurance Company, I mentioned that the case would likely be around in the appellate system, and that has proven true. Recently, a New York appeals court reversed the trial court ruling and held that the policy excludes flood loss and the several million … Continue Reading
After the events that unfolded in Ferguson, Missouri earlier this week, many business owners have been reviewing their commercial property insurance policies because their properties have been damaged or destroyed as a result of rioting, including looting, fire, vandalism, and other associated damage.… Continue Reading
There are changes occurring to the standard commercial general liability policy that all business owners should know of to make informed decisions when purchasing their insurance policy. The Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO) now requires, as of May 1, 2014, a new endorsement that excludes data breach liability. This endorsement , entitled “Exclusion-Access or Disclosure … Continue Reading
Builders risk policies for large projects can be complex and the scope of loss stemming from them can be difficult to measure. But what if a loss causes damage to property that pushes back the date of completion for the project? There could be coverage under the delay in completion policy form or endorsement.… Continue Reading
At the end of April, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (S.D.N.Y.) held that an insured who suffered business interruption losses as a result of a Superstorm Sandy related power outage, were not covered as there was no “direct physical loss.”… Continue Reading
Those handling Superstorm Sandy claims have likely seen their fair share of business interruption losses. In the last month, there was a ruling from a New York state trial judge in favor of an automotive dealer for business interruption losses sustained due to Superstorm Sandy.1 The interesting holding of the case concerned whether a flood … Continue Reading
The life of a business can depend on its insurance carrier doing the right thing and promptly paying damages sustained by it quickly and efficiently after a loss. This is the reason many business customers obtain business interruption coverage from their insurance carriers. New York Courts recognize the importance of business interruption coverage to policyholders … Continue Reading
Many businesses in the Northeast have had their business interruption claims denied because they did not have flood insurance. Flood damage is typically excluded from most commercial property policies, but businesses sustained many other types of losses that should be covered under most commercial policies despite the flood damage and lack of flood insurance.… Continue Reading
What’s more disheartening than seeing your business destroyed by an unexpected catastrophe? – Being informed that your insurance company will not pay a dime. Business owners in the City are receiving letters from their insurers denying coverage for the damages caused on October 29, 2012. Denial letters cite policy language to the effect:… Continue Reading
Many New York business owners have been denied insurance recovery based on causation issues (i.e., property damages and business income losses were caused by flood which is excluded under most policies). However, many insurance policies provide a measure of coverage and recovery through Civil Authority and Ingress/Egress provisions, which are not triggered by damages at … Continue Reading
Many businesses in New York and New Jersey are still recovering from closure or slow down after Hurricane Sandy devastated the region. Insurance companies are issuing payments for business income losses under standardized formulas where recovery may look as follows:1… Continue Reading
