Zalma on Insurance
Education • Business
Insurance Claims professional presents articles and videos on insurance, insurance Claims and insurance law for insurance Claims adjusters, insurance professionals and insurance lawyers who wish to improve their skills and knowledge. Presented by an internationally recognized expert and author.
Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
May 14, 2024
Insureds Must Negotiate Terms of Coverage Before Inception

Litigation is an Improper Method to Negotiate Insurance Coverage

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/dztfuAhr, #see the full video at https://lnkd.in/dgGX_AST and at https://lnkd.in/d3hTb6ZK and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4800 posts.

Post 4800

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.

Please tell your friends and colleagues about this blog and the videos and let them subscribe to the blog and the videos.

Subscribe to my substack at https://barryzalma.substack.com/subscribe or https://lnkd.in/gmmzUVBy

Go to X @bzalma; Go to Newsbreak.com https://www.newsbreak.com/@c/1653419?s=01; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://rumble.com/c/c-262921; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg.

Go to X @bzalma; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://lnkd.in/gwEYk.

00:11:05
Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
What else you may like…
Videos
Posts
20 hours ago
Allegations That Establish Breach of a Condition Defeats Suit

Notice of Claim Later than 60 Days After Expiration is Too Late

Post 5089

Injury at Massage Causes Suit Against Therapist

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gziRzFV8, see the full video at https://lnkd.in/gF4aYrQ2 and at https://lnkd.in/gqShuGs9, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5050 posts.

Hiscox Insurance Company (“Hiscox”) moved the USDC to Dismiss a suit for failure to state a claim because the insured reported its claim more than 60 days after expiration of the policy.

In Mluxe Williamsburg, LLC v. Hiscox Insurance Company, Inc., et al., No. 4:25-cv-00002, United States District Court, E.D. Missouri, Eastern Division (May 22, 2025) the trial court’s judgment was affirmed.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff, the operator of a massage spa franchise, entered into a commercial insurance agreement with Hiscox that provided liability insurance coverage from July 25, 2019, to July 25, 2020. On or about June 03, 2019, a customer alleged that one of Plaintiff’s employees engaged in tortious ...

00:08:31
June 02, 2025
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter – June 1, 2025

ZIFL – Volume 29, Issue 11
The Source for the Insurance Fraud Professional
Posted on June 2, 2025 by Barry Zalma

Post 5087

See the full video at and at

Read the full article and the full issue of ZIFL June 1, 2025 at https://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ZIFL-06-01-2025.pdf

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter – June 1, 2025

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gw-Hgww9 and at https://lnkd.in/gF8QAq4d, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5050 posts.

ZIFL – Volume 29, Issue 11

The Source for the Insurance Fraud Professional

Read the full article and the full issue of ZIFL June 1, 2025 at https://lnkd.in/gTWZUnnF

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 ...

00:08:42
placeholder
May 30, 2025
Plain Language of Policy Enforced

No Coverage if Home Vacant for More Than 60 Days

Failure to Respond To Counterclaim is an Admission of All Allegations

Post 5085

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gbWPjHub and at https://lnkd.in/gZ9ztA-P, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5050 posts.

In Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company v. Rebecca Massey, Civil Action No. 2:25-cv-00124, United States District Court, S.D. West Virginia, Charleston Division (May 22, 2025) Defendant Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company's (“Nationwide”) motion for Default Judgment against Plaintiff Rebecca Massey (“Plaintiff”) for failure to respond to a counterclaim and because the claim was excluded by the policy.

BACKGROUND

On February 26, 2022, Plaintiff's home was destroyed by a fire. At the time of this accident, Plaintiff had a home insurance policy with Nationwide. Plaintiff reported the fire loss to Nationwide, which refused to pay for the damages under the policy because the home had been vacant for more than 60 days.

Plaintiff filed suit ...

00:06:50
May 15, 2025
Zalma's Insurance Fraud Letter - May 15, 2025

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 ...

May 15, 2025
CGL Is Not a Medical Malpractice Policy

Professional Health Care Services Exclusion Effective

Post 5073

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/g-f6Tjm5 and at https://lnkd.in/gx3agRzi, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5050 posts.

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 ...

April 30, 2025
The Devil’s in The Details

A Heads I Win, Tails You Lose Story
Post 5062

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...

post photo preview
See More
Available on mobile and TV devices
google store google store app store app store
google store google store app tv store app tv store amazon store amazon store roku store roku store
Powered by Locals