SDV Insights

Construction Insights

The Outer Limits: Indiana Federal Court Refuses to Apply Interrelated Wrongful Acts Exclusion in D&O Coverage Dispute

In a recent pro-policyholder decision, an Indiana federal court held that a common, broadly-worded exclusion in Directors & Officers ("D&O") insurance for "Interrelated Wrongful Act[s]" did not preclude coverage, since a literal interpretation would produce "absurd" results. In the past, the all-encompassing language of the exclusion has been abused by insurers who have sought to construe the concept of "interrelation" so broadly as to exclude coverage for otherwise covered claims.

Read More +

New York Court of Appeals Addresses Choice of Law Challenges

In June, the New York Court of Appeals examined the application of a New York Choice of Law provision in a contract - a determinative issue for the case. In Ontario, Inc. v. Samsung C&T Corp., the issue was whether the plaintiff's claims were subject to Ontario, Canada's 2-year statute of limitations or New York's 6-year statute of limitations for breach of contract where the contract contained a broad New York Choice of Law provision.

Read More +

Additional Insured Coverage Dispute: Vivify v. Nautilus

Additional insured coverage for bodily injury to a downstream party's employees is one of the foremost considerations in any traditional risk transfer scheme. Upstream and downstream parties alike generally intend for the downstream party's insurance to respond to these claims--before the upstream party's insurance and in lieu of a contractual indemnity claim.

Read More +

Whose Contract Is It Anyway: Gilbane Decision Requires Contractual Privity

As previously addressed in "Whose Contract Is It Anyway: Addressing the Contractual Privity Problem," additional insured coverage under Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), standard blanket additional insured endorsements is often conditioned, in part, on the existence of a written contract requiring additional insured coverage.

Read More +

Wrap-Up Exclusion Blocks Additional Insured Claim in New York

It has become quite common for large-scale construction projects to be insured under consolidated insurance ("wrap-up") programs, where the owner, general contractor, and a majority of subcontractors are covered under the same primary and excess liability policies. However, when a wrap-up is acquired, not all parties involved in the construction project are enrolled.

Read More +

Court Narrowly Interprets "Faulty Workmanship" Provision

In a recent victory in their home state of Connecticut, Saxe Doernberger & Vita partners, Jeffrey Vita and Theresa Guertin, representing owner-developer 777 Main Street, LLC, overcame a summary judgment motion filed by Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company. The Connecticut Superior court refused to adopt the insurer's broad interpretation of the "faulty workmanship" exclusion in an all-risk builders' risk insurance policy.

Read More +

CA Supreme Court Set to Rule on Important Occurrence Issue Certified by Ninth Circuit

The California Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments over whether an insurer is required to cover allegations that a builder negligently failed to supervise an employee who sexually assaulted a middle school student while working at the student's school.

Read More +

Florida Supreme Court: Notice of Right to Repair is a CGL

The New Year started off with a bang for Florida construction insurance policyholders. In late December, the Florida Supreme Court acknowledged a contractor's right to a CGL defense during Florida's right-to-repair process.

Read More +

Top 10 Insurance Cases of 2017

From elephant mistreatment, misleading marketing and its effect on the nation's opioid problem, to wiring money overseas to fraudsters, it's been an eventful year in insurance law. Read on to hear about SDV's Top Ten Insurance Cases for 2017 as well as some key cases to watch in 2018.

Read More +

Unshared Risk in the Sharing Economy: Insurance Coverage Pitfalls

You arrive home after Airbnb-ing your home to find that the back deck is gone--during a particularly rowdy party hosted by your Airbnb guests, a smoldering cigarette negligently left on the railing started a fire, which on that hot, dry, summer night, quickly engulfed the deck. But the fire didn't stop at the deck; the entire back wall of the house, covered in weathered shingle siding, was singed and blackened to a crisp.

Read More +

CONTACT US


The email you are sending does not create an attorney-client relationship with SDV. We do not agree to representation until we have performed a check for conflicts of interest and expressly agree to provide services in a particular matter via an engagement letter. The information submitted to us via this website will NOT be treated as confidential or privileged as a lawyer/client communication and our receipt of this information does not prevent us from representing a client related to the subject of your inquiry.

Northeast

35 Nutmeg Drive
Trumbull, CT 06611

203.287.2100

233 Mount Airy Road
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920

973.446.7300

Southeast

999 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Ste 603
Naples, FL 34108

239.316.7244

West Coast

One BetterWorld Circle
Temecula, CA 92590

951.365.3145

SDV is headquartered in Connecticut, with regional offices in New Jersey, Florida, and California to better serve our clients. We are ready to answer your questions and are eager to assist you in developing solutions.