03/19/19

In November 2018, the FDA released new guidance on how and why it will utilize its statutory power to mandate recalls under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). To adapt to the new requirements, companies face a financial burden related to improving technology and allocating appropriate labor. This article provides insight into the FSMA and the importance of an insurance policy that responds to government intervention and mandated recalls.

03/06/19

As we head deeper into the first quarter of 2019, one thing is clear: changes are coming to the insurance marketplace that buyers and brokers alike will experience as the year progresses. Carriers are feeling pain, not just in commercial auto and problematic property sectors, but across many other areas of property and casualty as well. This is leading to a reaction that we’ve already begun to see and that was recently highlighted at the 2019 Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA) Underwriting Summit.

02/19/19

​When the housing market crashed in the 2008, many people turned their secondary homes into income-producing properties. The need for specialized insurance for short-term vacation rentals was recognized with the introduction of online booking websites such as AirBnB. However, standard homeowners insurance policies provide minimal coverage for business activities in the home. This article identifies potential coverage gaps and how rental endorsements can address these coverage issues.

12/11/18

Over the past few years, the majority of open market underwriters have experienced a deterioration in their loss ratios after years of market growth in a declining rating environment. While the management team at Lloyd's has taken a very strong and public stance on moving quickly to seek a solution, the outlook is not nearly as gloomy as has been portrayed in the media. This article provides a glimpse into Lloyd's sustainability strategy and the London market outlook for 2019.

11/13/18

Construction contract negotiations, which determine the kind and amount of insurance required for a construction project, can be time-consuming, complicated and frustrating. Project owners require contractors on a project to name the project owner as an additional insured on the contractor’s casualty insurance program. It's important that both project owners and contractors understand the coverage provided by these additional insured endorsements. This article discusses four common ISO additional insured endorsements related to commercial general liability policies purchased by contractors, including their limitations, conditions and exclusions.

10/23/18

Speed, efficiency, and customer service are essential to earning program business, especially in the current competitive environment. Learn more about changes in the underwriting program space in the Q3 State of the Market report.

10/23/18

Small business continues to benefit from an ultra-competitive insurance climate. Learn more about delivering solutions effectively in our Q3 State of the Market report.

08/16/18

A common complication during the claim process is the late reporting of claims. In some cases, a late claim can put the agent or broker's own E&O policy in jeopardy. There are many reasons for missing a reporting deadline; however, in most cases, they will not matter to the insurer or the courts. This article discusses typical claim reporting requirements, common causes of late reporting, and recommendations to mitigate the risk of late notice claim denials.

​In both primary and excess liability, accounts are seeing some increases, but the worst may be behind us. As is typical in the transportation sector, troubled accounts are facing higher costs and placement challenges. In an ever changing marketplace, claims, safety and technology are at the forefront and buyers can no longer simply consider price.

The Public Entity market is seeing unique trends for both Property and Casualty. In Property, the mid-market has seen firming while larger placements have seen carriers, both domestic and in London, attempt to hold the line on pricing. In Casualty, there are underwriting concerns around several key issues including attachment point sensitivity, capacity management, and difficult public exposures such as water utilities and law enforcement.

The state of the casualty market for real estate and habitational risks differs by the type of exposure. While desirable risks are seeing rate reductions, crime-related losses have caused many carriers to tighten acceptability guidelines, and shrinking profit margins have caused carriers in the habitational market to exit the space. Learn more in our State of the Real Estate Market report.

Due to the Doctrine of Negligent Entrustment, the consequences of allowing an employee with a poor driving record to operate any motor vehicle for work purposes extend beyond a possible traffic violation or accident. These seven tips will help you to proactively manage your drivers and maintain your CDL files as part of your fleet safety program.

The number of food contamination recalls continues to grow at a record-setting pace. In large part, the exponential increase in food recalls is a result of government regulatory bodies’ growing use of Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to identify the source of the contaminants. This article discusses the revolutionary impact of WGS on the food production industry.

While insurance may protect a tenant against subrogation by a landlord’s insurer, the liability of the tenant to the landlord is ultimately a question of law. As a result, any defense to a tenant’s liability is the practice of law. Learn the importance of consulting qualified legal counsel regarding questions of tenant liability, including the consideration of the various approaches to limiting that liability to the landlord.

In today's sharing economy, millions of people rely on strangers to provide services and goods to them through various online platforms, such as Uber. Sometimes, however, problems can arise within the corporate structure of the sharing platform itself or arise out of the exchange. As a result, adequate insurance is an important consideration for those who wish to engage in the sharing economy.

The Commercial General Liability policy (CGL) is an essential factor in the equation that consists of building planning, financing, construction, operation, and protection from risk. Standard ISO form CGL policies contain an insuring clause subject to long-standing exclusions, which have been the subject of interpretation and case law over the years. This article focuses on the operation of the form’s exclusions j, k, and l.

Owners and developers involved in construction projects must deal with the inherent risks involved with such projects. Their options are typically limited to avoiding, assuming, controlling/mitigating, or transferring the risk. This article addresses the most common risk transfer options.

Arbitration is becoming a frequently preferred method for dispute resolution, especially in commercial matters and those involving consumer contracts. While there are many positives to arbitration, there are also drawbacks. This article discusses the basis and background of arbitration and current trending and emerging subjects.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mandate which requires nearly all U.S. truck operators to use electronic logging devices (ELDs) to track duty status has been upheld in court and will take effect December 16, 2017. The mandate will impact not just the trucking industry, but the trucking insurance sector as well.

With ample capacity in nursing home and long-term care liability insurance, competition remains strong among carriers. However, the convergence of three separate events are threatening to create a perfect storm in the marketplace.

For 10 years, rates and retentions for self-insureds have been steadily (sometimes drastically) increasing. The good news is there's a way to fight the increases, though it has little to do with insuranc​e.

Multi-family real estate insurance has become a difficult class to place - many markets have either exited the space or tightened their guidelines. Here are three ways that you can help present risks in the best possible light for underwriters.

P&I insurance, which is liability coverage for vessel owners, is subject to many exclusions and special conditions. Often, we see instances where the P&I insurer declines defense and indemnity in cases involving injuries to crew members. Here's a closer look at why.

During and after a construction project, commercial general liability and project-specific policies may not fully protect building owners against any and all risks faced. This article addresses two unique areas which should be carefully considered to ensure proper coverage.

Ingredient manufacturers sell their product to other manufacturers who use it to make other products, some of which are ingredients themselves. This positions ingredient manufacturers uniquely in the event of a recall, since they may need to indemnify large financial losses sustained by multiple third parties.​ 

Responding in large part to the increase in construction defect litigation, the state legislatures have enacted provisions to provide certainty and to limit the time in which a party may bring suit for a defect claim. In this article, we discuss the importance of understanding the applicable statutes of limitation and statute of repose for a given jurisdiction, as well as the interplay of those statutes with other provisions.

When a U.S. maritime worker leaves the U.S. on temporary overseas assignments, are they still covered by the Longshore Act (USL&H)? Or are they covered by state workers’ compensation laws? The short answer is: it depends.

In the first article of our two-part series, we provide a background and introduction to sustainable construction, including essential vocabulary that parties should consider before undertaking a "green" construction project.

Many business owners and operators incorrectly assume that their general liability policy will cover them from pollutants and bacteria, such as legionella. In reality, to properly cover such exposures, an Environmental Impairment Liability policy should be purchased and considered a cost of doing business.

An evolving and dynamic area of law, “right to repair” statutes require homeowners to notify builders of claimed defects and to provide them with an opportunity to repair the defects before taking legal action.

During a construction project, much of the risk is with the contractor. However, the owner of the project also has the potential for liability. Give your clients more adequate protection during construction with an Owner’s Interest policy that includes extended completed operations insurance.

Motor carriers must continually battle the Safety Measurement System (SMS) and the public misperception its data creates, which often leads to higher premiums and difficulty obtaining coverage. Is there a clear solution to the problem?

Liquor liability is a complex coverage that is becoming increasingly difficult to procure, but with a proper understanding of the type of risk, venue and location, you can more effectively position your clients for success with underwriters.

When it comes to writing insurance requirements for contractors, there is a delicate balance to strike: protect insured interests while being reasonable and clear to contractors. This article discusses the importance of diligence in overseeing and enforcing such contractor insurance requirements.

Litigation over whether a Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance policy provides coverage for faulty workmanship claims is rapidly evolving. This article discusses situations where faulty work is considered an occurrence, when "property damage" becomes a factor, and how the "your work" exclusion and the subcontractor exception applies.

An endorsement like a CG 20 37 or similar can help provide options for completed operations coverage for additional insureds that might otherwise be overlooked or unavailable.

Additional insured endorsements are not a universal remedy and coverage is contingent on making sure a written agreement or contract is in place, with the named insured specifically adding the people or organizations included.

Obtaining coverage for Exterior Insulation Finish Systems, or EIFS, use can be a challenge. That's why understanding the intricacies of these commonly used building applications are so critical.

In part one of our article series, AmWINS and Rockhill Environmental teamed up to show some examples that can lead to a loss. Now, in Part II, we outline some leading questions to help clients determine environmental exposure.

From a simple slip and fall claim to a complex bodily injury or damage to aircraft claim, airports of all sizes are subject to substantial liability. Aircraft and airport operations seem to be very routine in nature, but when the unexpected loss occurs, proper coverage becomes very important.

The extent to which the contractual liability exclusion applies can vary, depending on geography, the applied agreements and even the level of liability that can be imposed under general law. While each case may be unique in its own right, it’s important to examine the variables that can factor into claims to see in which capacity contractual liability exclusions could apply.

A close look at a garage liability policy will likely reveal a number of coverage gaps and exposures that could have a dramatic impact on balance sheets in the event of a claim. While these packages are the industry norm, identifying potential gaps and the stand-alone solutions that can supplement the garage package policy will go a long way in helping protect clients before it’s too late.

Lloyd’s of London has long been recognized as a well-established brand that, through the breadth and depth of coverages offered, is easily identifiable outside insurance industry standards. But how does the claims process work at the world’s most recognizable market, and how is an organization so steeped in tradition managing its claims processes to keep pace with today’s technology?