The Made-Whole Doctrine and Deductibles

Timothy P. Law and Esther Y. Kim | Reed Smith The made-whole doctrine (also known as the make-whole doctrine or the full compensation rule) is an equitable principle requiring a policyholder to be made whole for its loss before an insurance company can exercise its subrogation rights against a third party. It is essentially a… Continue reading The Made-Whole Doctrine and Deductibles

Pre-Policy Email Does Not Constitute A Claim

Elizabeth Fisher | Wiley The United States District Court for the Southern District of California, applying California law, has held that an email issued to an insured homeowners association (“HOA”) before the inception of the relevant claims-made policy did not constitute a “Claim” because it failed to identify a specific process that the insured could… Continue reading Pre-Policy Email Does Not Constitute A Claim

Oregon Supreme Court Expands Meaning of “Accident” in Insurance Policy

Blake Robinson | Davis Wright Tremaine Key Takeaways On February 15, 2023, the Oregon Court of Appeals issued a decision holding that a claim for breach of a settlement agreement did not trigger an insurance policy because a breach of contract was not an “accident” under the policy, even though the alleged breach was negligently… Continue reading Oregon Supreme Court Expands Meaning of “Accident” in Insurance Policy

No Second Chance: Colorado Court of Appeals Bars Indemnity Claim Under Doctrine of Claim Preclusion

Gail Gudder | Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell A cautionary tale for contractors and their counsel: if you dismiss an indemnity claim with prejudice, do not expect a do-over.  In Layton Construction Co. v. Shaw Contract Flooring Services, Inc., 409 P.3d 602 (Colo. App. 2016), the Colorado Court of Appeals reaffirmed the reach of claim preclusion… Continue reading No Second Chance: Colorado Court of Appeals Bars Indemnity Claim Under Doctrine of Claim Preclusion

Rightfully Recovering Under A Coblentz Agreement

David Adelstein | Florida Construction Legal Updates A recent case out of the Middle District of Florida, The Peninsula at St. John’s Center Condominium Association, Inc. v. Amerisure Ins. Co., 2025 WL 1547631 (M.D.Fla. 2025) discusses what a party must do to RIGHTFULLY recover under a Coblentz agreement under Florida law: “In Florida, a party seeking to recover under… Continue reading Rightfully Recovering Under A Coblentz Agreement