Don Jergler | Claims Journal A new code for public adjusters that would create a board to put ethics violations in front of state regulators was introduced on Friday. The Public Adjusting Code of Professional Conduct is being pushed by a coalition of more than 16 public adjusters, insurance attorneys and industry stakeholders. The code… Continue reading Public Adjuster Coalition Unveils Ethics Code, Plans Complaint Board
Category: Insurance
Navigating Limitation Periods and Equitable Tolling in California Wildfire Claims
Advise & Consult, Inc. Executive Summary Reports directing victims of the January 7, 2025 Palisades and Eaton wildfires to file suit prior to January 7, 2027, rely on a simplified reading of statutory deadlines. While California law establishes a 24-month suit limitation for losses tied to a declared state of emergency, the doctrine of equitable… Continue reading Navigating Limitation Periods and Equitable Tolling in California Wildfire Claims
Your Subcontractor’s Worker is Injured. Are You on the Hook?
John Berry | Freeman Mathis & Gary A recent decision from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court provides important guidance on when a general contractor may be liable for injuries sustained by a subcontractor’s employee on a construction project. In Suquilanda v. Skyway Roofing, Inc., the SJC clarified that the key inquiry is not who generally oversees… Continue reading Your Subcontractor’s Worker is Injured. Are You on the Hook?
When the Ground Gives Way, So Does Coverage: New York Applies Earth Movement Exclusion to Adjacent Construction
Tracey Jordan and Joshua Tumen | Cozen O’Connor Major construction on a crowded urban lot almost inevitably causes issues with adjoining property owners. A recent New York decision confirms that when the earth moves, earth movement exclusions may preclude coverage. In Gogam v. Admiral Indemnity Co., 2026 WL 2595045 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Aug. 21, 2026), the… Continue reading When the Ground Gives Way, So Does Coverage: New York Applies Earth Movement Exclusion to Adjacent Construction
When Two Words Do Not Necessarily Do Two Jobs: Legal Doublets and Surplusage in Insurance Policies
Andrea DeField and Alex D. Pappas | Hunton Andrews Kurth “Loss or damage.” “Caused by or resulting from.” “Faulty, inadequate or defective.” “Direct physical loss of or damage to.” In coverage litigation, phrases like these can launch a familiar argument: if an insurance policy uses two different words, each must mean something different. Otherwise, one… Continue reading When Two Words Do Not Necessarily Do Two Jobs: Legal Doublets and Surplusage in Insurance Policies