SDV Insights

On December 15, from 11:00 am-2:15 pm EST, SDV Partner Gregory Podolak will be on the faculty of an NBI webinar on "Manufacturing Law".

The Eighth Circuit recently weighed in on one of the more contentious issues in insurance coverage litigation: is faulty workmanship an occurrence?

"Stacking" is a practice that is very favorable for policyholders, especially in environmental coverage cases involving extended pollution events.

In a big win for policyholders, the Oregon Supreme Court recently ruled that that insurance companies are not allowed to relitigate the nature of damages awarded against their insureds during an underlying trial.

The Massachusetts District Court found that Bill Cosby's homeowner's liability policy covered the costs of defense for defamation claims related to allegations of sexual assault, even though the policy included a broad sexual abuse exclusion.

SDV has been serving policyholders and insurance brokers in the United States for over 20 years. As part of its continuing growth, SDV has been expanding its insurance coverage expertise to include more multinational clients. The firm feels it can bring a unique perspective to growing insurance markets, such as Central and Eastern Europe.

In a recent policyholder-friendly decision, the Supreme Court of Canada found coverage under an exception to the faulty workmanship exclusion in an all-risk policy. The decision provided the insureds with millions to cover the cost of replacing the faulty work.

On November 15, 2016, 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET, SDV Southeast Managing Partner Gregory Podolak will be participating in the American Bar Association webinar, "Assessing the Situation: How to Identify and Evaluate a Contractor's Cyber and Data Risks."

The Minnesota Federal District Court recently decided against coverage for the release of carbon monoxide from an engine compartment into the open air due to a general liability policy's pollution exclusion.

As our State by State Survey on CGL Pollution Exclusions shows, the definition of the word "pollutant" can be ambiguous in the insurance context. Recently, an Alabama federal judge held that sewage was not a pollutant for purposes of the pollution exclusion in a CGL policy.