Congress Considers Reinsurance Program for Business Interruption Losses Due to Coronavirus
4/9/20
By: Zach Moura
Business interruption coverage typically requires that there be direct physical loss of or damage to property, and many business interruption policies contain virus exclusions. But there are currently a number of legislative proposals at the state and …
Plaintiffs and Lawmakers Raise Bad Faith Issues in COVID-19 Claims
4/3/20
By: Adrianna Michalska and Eric Retter
Every American is reminded daily that Coronavirus
spreads easily and quickly. So has the impact on the insurance industry. How
fast? Less than a month after the first U.S. death attributed to the virus …
More Restaurant Owners ask Courts to Find that COVID-19 Has Caused “Direct Physical Loss” Triggering Business Interruption Coverage
4/1/20
By: Renata Hoddinott and Isis Miranda
Famed chef Thomas
Keller’s restaurant groups sued two insurers in Napa County Superior Court last
week, seeking a declaration that the policies cover business interruption
losses incurred because of a Shelter-at-Home Order. In the …
Coalition of Insurance and Business Groups Propose the COVID-19 Business and Employee Continuity and Recovery Fund
4/1/20
By: Nicole L. Graham and Zachariah E. Moura
A broad coalition
has urged the federal government to create a recovery fund for businesses hit
hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Representatives
of 36 trade groups from real estate, insurance, retail and …
With the 2020 Drafts in Limbo due to COVID-19, could College Athletes find Coverage under “Loss of Value” Policies?
3/31/20
By: Matthew Jones
The effective shutdown of sporting events due to the spread
of COVID-19 is having a financial effect on many people in all walks of
life. Perhaps overlooked are college
athletes who aspire to have contracts with professional …
More States are Following New Jersey’s Lead in Enacting Legislation to Require Insurers to Cover COVID-19 Losses
3/31/20
By: Erin Lamb and Ben Dunlap
FMG reported extensively after New Jersey began debating a bill that would force insurers to cover Business Interruption losses arising from COVID-19. The New Jersey bill would require courts to ignore virus and bacteria …
Navigating Insurance Coverage Questions in the Age of COVID-19
3/30/20
By: Katie Cusack
It is no secret that concerns about
coronavirus and COVID-19 have impacted tens of thousands of businesses across
the world. In many industries, its
effects are novel, and many businesses are unsure of what their obligations are
…
Coverage for unclean hands? Plaintiffs Say Manufacturer Misrepresented Sanitizer’s Effect on Coronavirus
3/25/20
By: Renata Hoddinott and Barry Miller
On March 23 FMG presented the webinar Navigating Coverage Issues Arising from COVID-19. Presenters Marc Shrake, Erin Lamb, and Barry Miller discussed four lawsuits that already have been filed alleging claims related to coronavirus.…
California Department of Insurance Orders All California Health Insurers to Submit Filing and to Ensure Services to Insureds Displaced by COVID-19
3/20/20
By: Kristin Ingulsrud
California Insurance Code section 10112.95(a) provides that insureds displaced by a declared state of emergency shall have access to medically necessary health care services. In light of Governor Gavin Newsom’s state of emergency proclamation and the continued …
California Department of Insurance Issues COVID-19 Bulletins Addressing (i) 60-Day Grace Period for Premiums; Expiration of Drivers Licenses; (ii) Alternative Payment Methods; and (iii) Accounting for Extraordinary Circumstances in Evaluating Claims Handling
3/20/20
By: Zach Moura
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued three notices to insurers on March 18, 2020 related to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), all aimed at ameliorating the pandemic’s impact on the both insurers and insureds.
The first notice …
Coronavirus Lawsuit Seeking Coverage is Filed in Louisiana
3/18/20
By: Philip W. Savrin and Erin Lamb
The first in what is bound to be a virtual tsunami of coverage lawsuits arising from the spread of the Coronavirus was filed in New Orleans this week by a restaurant in the …
New Jersey and New York Signal Intent to Force Coverage for COVID-19 Business Losses; Other States Will Follow Suit
3/16/20
By: Erin Lamb and Marc Shrake
Both New Jersey and New York have taken steps toward attempting to force coverage of business losses related to COVID-19. In New Jersey, Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald and Assemblyman Roy Reiman have introduced …