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With COVID-19 business closures, legislatures across the country have been grappling with new questions, including what protections may be afforded by business income insurance. As of late, members of legislatures in states like New York1 and Pennsylvania2 have all proposed legislation in favor of affording coverage for claims that might otherwise be excluded. While these bills have not passed, they may offer some indication about what legal issues could arise in the future.3…
Continue Reading State Legislatures Aim to Afford COVID-19 Coverage

A New York court of appeals recently ruled that an insured’s claim for business interruption losses in excess of policy limits may proceed as the insured alleged the additional losses were the result of its insurers’ delay in payments.…
Continue Reading Delay in Payment May Lead to Insurer’s Liability in Excess of Policy Limits

We’ve all seen it before. The insured files a claim, the insurance company sends out an adjuster to adjust the loss, the loss is more complex, or a situation arises that the adjuster cannot handle so the insurance company forwards the claim to their legal department. At that point, an attorney becomes involved and the adjustment of the claim, as well as the communication between the parties is limited and calculated.…
Continue Reading Court Holds Documents Created by Counsel During Claims Handling Were Not Privileged

Linda A. Lacewell, Superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services

Since the New York Department of Insurance was abolished in October 2011, the New York State Department of Financial Services has supervised and regulated all insurance companies that do business in New York. The Department of Financial Services attempts to ensure fair and equitable dealings between insurers, agents, and policyholders regarding all insurance transactions. The Department of Financial Services also receives and investigates all complaints against agents or insurers.…
Continue Reading How To File A Complaint With The New York Department of Financial Services About Your Delaying, Denying and Bad Treating Insurance Company

The statute of limitations period applicable to a breach of contract cause of action in New York is ordinarily six years. However, parties to a contract may agree, in writing, that any lawsuit must be commenced within a shorter period of time. Moreover, while the statute of limitations on a breach of insurance contract generally starts to run on the date that coverage is disclaimed by the insurance company, the parties to an insurance contract are likewise free to include distinct language in their agreement demonstrating that they intend for the limitations period to run from the date of the underlying loss as opposed to the date of the disclaimer of coverage.…
Continue Reading Statute of Limitations: How Much Time Do I Have to File a Complaint Against My Insurance Company For Breach of Insurance Contract in New York?

The New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department “unanimously reversed, on the law, with costs, the motion denied and the claims reinstated,” the New York County Supreme Court trial judge’s order dated April 2, 2018, to the extent appealed from, which granted dismissal of Plaintiff D.K. Property, Inc.’s (“D.K.”) consequential damages (other than attorney’s fees) pled in its amended complaint.1 The dispute involves an “all-risk” commercial property policy issued by Defendant National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA (“National Union”) and its denial of D.K.’s October 2014 claim for policy proceeds and benefits arising from damage to one of its buildings insured under the policy.…
Continue Reading Consequences of a Well-Pled Complaint

Tiffany Tower Condominium LLC sustained damages during Superstorm Sandy. In November 2012, the insured filed a claim with their insurer, Insurance Company of Greater New York, for damages sustained during the storm. Greater New York paid the claim out in December 2012. In September 2014, Tiffany Tower submitted a supplemental claim to Greater New York for additional losses which it asserted were caused by the storm. Their insurer denied coverage for the supplemental claim.…
Continue Reading Court Allows Consequential Damages Claim to Proceed

Last month, a New York Supreme Court affirmed that insurance companies are subject to that state’s consumer protection law, General Business Law § 349. In 37 West 24th Street, LLC v. Seneca Insurance Company, Inc., the trial court denied Seneca Insurance Company’s motion to dismiss the plaintiff’s claim under that statute.1 …
Continue Reading Bad Faith Claim Investigation May Subject Insurance Company to Private Remedies Under Consumer Protection Law

Bad faith and consequential damages has long been a thorn in the New York plaintiff attorney’s side as they are virtually impossible to recover in most breach of contract actions. Recently, one plaintiff was able to recover attorney’s fees and costs by meeting the stringent standard set forth by New York case law.…
Continue Reading Plaintiffs in New York Recover Attorney’s Fees in First-Party Property Claim

A New York policyholder submits to multiple examinations under oath during the investigation of a fire claim before retaining counsel. The question then becomes whether his examination under oath (EUO) testimony is admissible at trial and under what circumstances. A brief survey of my research is summarized below.…
Continue Reading Nothing But the Truth: EUO Testimony Is Admissible at Trial in New York