Washington High Court Finds that Certificates of Insurance Can Create Coverage

Answering a certified question from the Ninth Circuit, the Washington Supreme Court issued a surprising decision, holding that certificates of insurance can create coverage despite express disclaimers that they do not “amend, extend or alter the coverage afforded by” the policy.[1] This decision is inconsistent with precedent from courts across the country that routinely hold certificates of insurance are informational documents only that cannot supplant the terms of an insurance policy.

In this Washington case, T-Mobile USA, made a demand for additional insured coverage in connection …

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