Commercial General Liability Policies

Fifth Circuit Decision Excluding Coverage under Pollution Exclusion for Damage to Stream Caused by Rock FinesIn a sweeping decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit extended the absolute pollution exclusion to the unplanned discharge of “rock fines,” pellets produced during quarry operations, and denied coverage for the cost of removing the rock fines and defending a state law claim against the insured.

The insured, Eastern Concrete Materials,

Insurers Beware: One Insurer’s Settlement Can Support a Bad Faith Failure-to-Settle Claim Against a Nonsettling InsurerAn insurer defending a claim against an insured that could exceed policy limits has a good faith obligation to settle the claim if possible. Failure to do so puts a nonsettling insurer at grave risk.  An Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals decision shows that one insurer’s response to a policy limits settlement opportunity can be

Policyholder Diligence Ensures You’re InsuredPolicyholders take notice – a recent New York case highlights the importance of thoroughly analyzing and understanding all policy language to minimize project risk and ensure proper coverage. As an illustration, the Court of Appeals of New York recently held that a named additional insured was not covered under an insurance policy because the plain