Litigation is an Improper Method to Negotiate Insurance Coverage
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Plaintiffs’ attempted to secure insurance coverage for an action currently pending in federal court (the “Underlying Litigation”). Plaintiffs looked to two towers of D&O insurance to provide that coverage, naming a dozen individual insurers in the process. The problems faced by the insurers were:
1 A provision in the earlier tower of insurance, dubbed the “No Action” clause, commands that no actions may be filed against the insurer until the insured’s payment obligations are finally determined.
2 Plaintiffs attempted to convince the Court that the need to enable swift litigation against insurers outweighed the need to enforce contracts as written.
3 The prior acts exclusions found in the latter tower’s policies.
4 The Underlying Litigation centers on alleged wrongs that occurred too early to be eligible for coverage under the latter tower.
In Origis USA LLC and Guy Vanderhaegen v. Great American Insurance Company, et al, C. A. No. N23C-07-102 SKR CCLD, Superior Court of Delaware (May 9, 2024) explained the way Delaware interprets insurance contracts.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
The insurers are two towers of multiple insurers who are named as defendants.
The Underlying Litigation
The Underlying Litigation are only tangentially relevant to this coverage dispute. It was brought by Pentacon BV and Baltisse NV (together, the “Investors”) to recover sums that Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs’ affiliates-who are not insured under the two towers at issue here-allegedly stole through fraud. The heart of the allegations are that Plaintiffs and their affiliates undersold the Investors on the value of the Investors’ shares in Origis and Origis’s parent company, Origis Energy NV.
Plaintiffs and their affiliates bought out the Investors’ interest in Origis and Origis Energy for $105 million. Just a few months later, Plaintiffs sold Origis to a third party for $1.4 billion. The investors complain that they did not get their fair share of that payday.
The 2021-22 Tower
As relevant here, Great American’s policy, which was followed by the other 2021-22 Insurers’ policies, states: “With respect to any Liability Coverage Part, no action shall be taken against the Insurer unless, as a condition precedent thereto, there has been full compliance with all the terms of this Policy, and until the Insured’s obligation to pay has been finally determined by an adjudication against the Insured or by written agreement of the Insured, claimant and the Insurer.”
The 2023-24 Tower
The second relevant tower of D&O insurance (the “2023-24 Tower”) had a policy period of February 4, 2023 to February 4, 2024. In this timeframe, Bridgeway issued the primary policy, and several other insurers (together, the “2023-24 Excess Insurers” and, together with Bridgeway, the “2023-24 Insurers”) each issued excess policies in that ascending order. After the applicable retention, each of the 2023-24 Insurers had a $2.5 million limit.
Each of the 2023-24 Tower’s policies had a provision excluding coverage for claims arising out of wrongful acts that first occurred before November 18, 2021. RSUI’s first-layer excess policy reflects a fairly representative example, stating: “The Insurer shall not be liable to make any payment for Loss in connection with any Claim made against any Insured that alleges, arises out of, is based upon or attributable to, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, any actual or alleged Wrongful Acts which first occurred prior to November 18, 2021.”
DISCUSSION
Delaware courts review insurance contracts to assess the parties’ intent “as expressed through their contractual language.” Like any contract, when an insurance contract’s terms are reasonably susceptible of but one meaning, and are thus unambiguous, Delaware courts will apply that meaning.
The No Action Clause Precludes This Litigation Against the 2021-22 Tower and Plaintiffs Cannot use this Litigation to Reopen Negotiations.
Great American, joined by Markel, argued that the plain language of the No Action clause blocks Plaintiffs’ ability to bring this coverage dispute before the Underlying Litigation concludes.
Delaware courts are exceptionally inclined to hold sophisticated parties to their bargains. For that reason, the Court refused to disregard the No Action clause.
The Court was fully confident that the representatives of this billion dollar company were well-equipped to understand the policy language and negotiate necessary changes.
The Court enforced the No Action clause as it is written. That prohibition will be lifted when Plaintiffs satisfy the two conditions contained in the No Action clause. Until then, the 2021-2022 Insurers’ motions to dismiss must be granted.
The Prior Acts Exclusion Precludes Coverage under the 2023-24 Tower.
The analysis is even clearer with respect to the unavailability of coverage for the Underlying Litigation under the 2023-24 Tower. Even if the Court were to accept that Plaintiffs met their burden to establish coverage, the 2023-24 Insurers successfully refute that coverage with the prior acts exclusion.
The 2023-24 Insurers’ motions to dismiss must be granted.
CONCLUSION
Plaintiffs’ policies do not support Plaintiffs’ current suit. In one set of policies, Plaintiffs agreed not to sue their insurers until the occurrence of a particular event that is yet to occur. In the other set of policies, Plaintiffs waived coverage for pre-existing wrongs such as the Underlying Litigation. Accordingly, the motions to dismiss must be GRANTED.
ZALMA OPINION
Insurance contracts with multiple towers of insurance coverage with multiple insurers taking on the risk of loss in excess of the underlying insurance coverages where, in this case the layers contained multiple insurance policies waiting for each lawyer to pay out its limit before the next in the tower has to pay. Here, the contract language limited the coverages in ways that upset the insureds who tried to rewrite the policies to provide coverage they did not buy. The court refused to change the conditions of the policy.
(c) 2024 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
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Jury’s Findings Interpreting Insurance Contract Affirmed
Post 5105
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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
Great Northern refused to pay the full claim amount and paid Madelaine Chocolate only about $4 million. In disclaiming coverage, Great Northern invoked the Policy’s flood-exclusion provision, which excludes, in relevant part, “loss or damage caused by ....
Failure to Name a Party as an Additional Insured Defeats Claim
Post 5104
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Contract Interpretation is Based on the Clear and Unambiguous Language of the Policy
In Associated Industries Insurance Company, Inc. v. Sentinel Insurance Company, Ltd., No. 23-CV-10400 (MMG), United States District Court, S.D. New York (June 16, 2025) an insurance coverage dispute arising from a personal injury action in New York State Supreme Court.
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.
KEY POINTS
Parties Involved:
CAEA is insured by Associated Industries Insurance Company, Inc. ...
Exclusion Establishes that There is No Duty to Defend Off Site Injuries
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Attack by Vicious Dog Excluded
In Foremost Insurance Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan v. Michael B. Steele and Sarah Brown and Kevin Lee Price, Civil Action No. 3:24-CV-00684, United States District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania (June 16, 2025)
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.
Presently before the Court are two ...
ZIFL Volume 29, Issue 10
The Source for the Insurance Fraud Professional
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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 ...
Professional Health Care Services Exclusion Effective
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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:
Insurance Coverage Dispute:
Travelers issued a Commercial General Liability ...
A Heads I Win, Tails You Lose Story
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Posted on April 30, 2025 by Barry Zalma
"This is a Fictionalized True Crime Story of Insurance Fraud that explains why Insurance Fraud is a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” situation for Insurers. The story is designed to help everyone to Understand How Insurance Fraud in America is Costing Everyone who Buys Insurance Thousands of Dollars Every year and Why Insurance Fraud is Safer and More Profitable for the Perpetrators than any Other Crime."
Immigrant Criminals Attempt to Profit From Insurance Fraud
People who commit insurance fraud as a profession do so because it is easy. It requires no capital investment. The risk is low and the profits are high. The ease with which large amounts of money can be made from insurance fraud removes whatever moral hesitation might stop the perpetrator from committing the crime.
The temptation to do everything outside the law was the downfall of the brothers Karamazov. The brothers had escaped prison in the old Soviet Union by immigrating to the United...