Advise & Consult One of the most entertaining—and frustrating—aspects of property insurance litigation is trying to predict what a judge will do, there is often far less predictability than lawyers would like. When it comes to umpire selection, judges frequently rely on instinct rather than any clear formula. Sometimes they appoint someone they know and… Continue reading Court Appointment of an Umpire – Your Guess is as Good as Mine
Category: Insurance
‘Nation’s First’ Smoke Damage Standards Bill Wending Through California Legislature
Insurance Journal A bill to create a statewide framework for handling wildfire smoke damage insurance claims is now making its way through California Legislature. The Smoke Damage Recovery Act, which primary backer Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said stems from the recovery process after the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires and smoke damage claims, is authored… Continue reading ‘Nation’s First’ Smoke Damage Standards Bill Wending Through California Legislature
Nine Claims Trends to Watch Through The Rest of 2026
Don Jergler | Claims Journal Catastrophe, resilience, automation, digital transformation, personalization of the claims experience, talent strategies, operational flexibility—there are a mouthful of trends to talk about in the still-young year. A new report from Crawford & Company forecasts trends that will be reshaping the insurance claims industry the rest of 2026. The Crawford report… Continue reading Nine Claims Trends to Watch Through The Rest of 2026
At the Intersection of Indemnity and Prevailing Wages
Garret Murai | California Construction Law Blog In a case that I’m frankly surprised I don’t see more of, the 2nd District Court of Appeal of California examined an indemnity claim by a subcontractor against a general contractor and public entity who mistakenly believed that a construction project did not require the payment of prevailing… Continue reading At the Intersection of Indemnity and Prevailing Wages
Court Interprets “Completion” of a Project Under Builder’s Risk Insurance
Joshua Tumen | Property Insurance Law Observer In Luke, Inc. v. Berkley National Insurance Company, 2025 WL 2210783 (W.D. Tenn. 2025), the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee determined that the “completion” of a construction project for purposes of coverage under a builder’s risk policy concerned the permanent physical elements of the… Continue reading Court Interprets “Completion” of a Project Under Builder’s Risk Insurance