Underwriting Against a Certain Loss and Claim is Appropriate
Barry Zalma
Nov 27, 2023
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Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gC_ym3gF and see the full video at https://lnkd.in/gCF37aWz and at https://lnkd.in/gEf-yAff and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4700 posts.
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gC_ym3gF and see the full video at https://lnkd.in/gCF37aWz and at https://lnkd.in/gEf-yAff and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4700 posts.
Underwriting Against a Certain Loss and Claim is Appropriate
The underwriting of an insurance policy requires evaluation of risks of loss faced by the proposed insured. When a proposed insured advises the underwriter that it has received an intent to sue from customers of the insured a prudent underwriter will exclude the known risk faced by the Sunnyside Mobile Estate was excluded.
California Capital Insurance Company (CCIC), who defended and indemnified its insured Sunnyside Mobile Estates appealed from a judgment rendered in favor of Gotham Insurance Company (Gotham) on CCIC’s complaint for equitable contribution toward funds it paid.
In California Capital Insurance Company v. Gotham Insurance Company, F084350, California Court of Appeals, Fifth District (November 6, 2023) the Court of Appeals interpreted the competing insurance policies.
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
On April 8, 2016, mobilehome park residents, by and through one of the residents, sent Ormond a Notice of Intention to Commence Action dated March 1, 2016 (the “notice of intention to sue”) pursuant to the Mobilehome Residency Law (MRL).
Equitable contribution apportions costs among insurers sharing the same level of liability on the same risk.
The Ormond Insureds’ Insurance and Their Tender of Defense and Indemnity of the Alonso Action to CCIC and Gotham
The Gotham policy contained an endorsement titled “Failure to Maintain Exclusion, Mobile Home Parks-California” addressed in the notice of intention to sue.
Moreover, each and every cause of action asserted in the Alonso complaint was premised, at least in part, on provisions of the MRL.
As the California Supreme Court has said, “where there is no duty to defend, there cannot be a duty to indemnify.”
ZALMA OPINION
If Sunnyside Mobile Estates did not tell Gotham of the notice of intent to sue Gotham could have rescinded the policy for misrepresentation of material facts. Sunnyside did not and, as a result, Gotham excluded the type of loss that resulted in the Alonso suit. CCIC knew about the loss before its policy expired and Gotham knew of it before it happened and the Alonso suit was filed before the inception of the policy. There was no equity involved in this attempt at equitable indemnity and CCIC attempted to force Gotham to pay that which it did not owe.
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Jury’s Findings Interpreting Insurance Contract Affirmed
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Madelaine Chocolate Novelties, Inc. (“Madelaine Chocolate”) appealed the district court’s judgment following a jury verdict in favor of Great Northern Insurance Company (“Great Northern”) concerning storm-surge damage caused by “Superstorm Sandy” to Madelaine Chocolate’s production facilities.
In Madelaine Chocolate Novelties, Inc., d.b.a. The Madelaine Chocolate Company v. Great Northern Insurance Company, No. 23-212, United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit (June 20, 2025) affirmed the trial court ruling in favor of the insurer.
BACKGROUND
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The underlying action, Eduardo Molina v. Venchi 2, LLC, et al., concerned injuries allegedly resulting from a construction accident at premises owned by Central Area Equities Associates LLC (CAEA) and leased by Venchi 2 LLC with the USDC required to determine who was entitled to a defense from which insurer.
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Foremost Insurance Company (“Foremost”) sued Michael B. Steele (“Steele”), Sarah Brown (“Brown”), and Kevin Lee Price (“Price”) (collectively, “Defendants”). Foremost sought declaratory relief in the form of a declaration that
1. it owes no insurance coverage to Steele and has no duty to defend or indemnify Steele in an underlying tort action and
2. defense counsel that Foremost has assigned to Steele in the underlying action may withdraw his appearance.
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ZIFL Volume 29, Issue 10
The Source for the Insurance Fraud Professional
See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gK_P4-BK and at https://lnkd.in/g2Q7BHBu, and at https://zalma.com/blog and at https://lnkd.in/gjyMWHff.
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 29th year of publication dedicated to those involved in reducing the effect of insurance fraud. ZIFL is published 24 times a year by ClaimSchool and is written by Barry Zalma. It is provided FREE to anyone who visits the site at http://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/ You can read the full issue of the May 15, 2025 issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ZIFL-05-15-2025.pdf
This issue contains the following articles about insurance fraud:
Health Care Fraud Trial Results in Murder for Hire of Witness
To Avoid Conviction for Insurance Fraud Defendants Murder Witness
In United States of America v. Louis Age, Jr.; Stanton Guillory; Louis Age, III; Ronald Wilson, Jr., No. 22-30656, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (April 25, 2025) the Fifth Circuit dealt with the ...
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This opinion is the recommendation of a Magistrate Judge to the District Court Judge and involves Travelers Casualty Insurance Company and its duty to defend the New Mexico Bone and Joint Institute (NMBJI) and its physicians in a medical negligence lawsuit brought by Tervon Dorsey.
In Travelers Casualty Insurance Company Of America v. New Mexico Bone And Joint Institute, P.C.; American Foundation Of Lower Extremity Surgery And Research, Inc., a New Mexico Corporation; Riley Rampton, DPM; Loren K. Spencer, DPM; Tervon Dorsey, individually; Kimberly Dorsey, individually; and Kate Ferlic as Guardian Ad Litem for K.D. and J.D., minors, No. 2:24-cv-0027 MV/DLM, United States District Court, D. New Mexico (May 8, 2025) the Magistrate Judge Recommended:
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