Policyholder Required to Pay Back Insurer $900,000 Based on Misrepresentations

A Texas appellate court upheld a substantial jury award against a policyholder on fraud claims in Jackson Fulgham v. Allied Property and Casualty Ins. Co.. The insurer counter-sued the policyholder real estate firm over fraudulent claims it had made about hailstorm damage, resulting in a $900,000 jury award in favor of the insurer. The appellate court upheld the verdict claiming that the evidence supported such finding.

In 2009, the policyholder made a claim under its property insurance policy for damage to the roof of …

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Louisiana Supreme Court Expands Failure to Settle and Misrepresentation Claims Against Insurers

In Kelly v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., 2015 La. LEXIS 697 (La. May 5, 2015), the Louisiana Supreme Court answered two critical questions regarding an insurer’s claim handling responsibilities. First, the court held that an insurer can be found liable for bad faith failure to settle, notwithstanding that the insurer never received a firm settlement offer. Second, the court held that an insurer can be found liable for misrepresenting or failing to disclose facts that are not related to the insurance policy’s …

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Wisconsin Supreme Court Determines Notice-Prejudice Rule Does Not Apply To Claims-Made-and-Reported Requirement

In Anderson v. Aul, 2015 WI 19 (2015), the Wisconsin Supreme Court reversed the decision of the court of appeals and held that Wisconsin’s notice-prejudice statutes did not apply to the reporting requirements in claims-made-and-reported policies.

The underlying case involved a malpractice lawsuit filed by Melissa and Kenneth Anderson against their former attorney, Thomas Aul, alleging that Mr. Aul continued to represent the Andersons in a purchase of commercial property transaction, although he had an unwaivable conflict of interest. On December 23, 2009, Mr. …

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New Connecticut Law Allows Disaster Mediation Program for Property Insurance Claims

On June 21, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy signed into law Substitute House Bill No. 6549, Public Act No. 13-148, which allows the Connecticut State Insurance Department to set up a mediation program for insurance claims arising from a catastrophic event. The bill will allow for a program which permits policyholders to mediate property insurance claims which arise out of a catastrophic event, if the catastrophic event gives rise to a declared state of emergency.

The law follows was designed after to promote efficiencies in …

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