An understanding of how insurance policies work and the nature of policyholder rights is essential to almost all kinds of civil litigation. This is true even where the client is a plaintiff, as the prospects of a successful settlement are enhanced by knowledge of the pressure points that can convince an insurance carrier to fund a settlement. The firm has experience with many types of policies, including commercial general liability, errors and omissions, directors and officers, and first party property.
Oftentimes, when representing the defense in a civil case, dealing with the client’s insurance carrier can make all the difference. The firm has a proven track record of securing policyholder rights when carriers balk at honoring their duty to defend, and when necessary, vindicating those rights by pursuing bad faith claims. Such coverage disputes often allow the insured to select its own counsel, resulting in the firm’s attorney’s fees being paid for by insurance.
The firm also has experience with “first party” insurance claims, where a carrier refuses to compensate its insured for losses such as property damage. In addition, the firm has handled cases against insurance brokers for failing to obtain the coverage specified by the client, as well as defended against claims by carriers seeking to rescind insurance policies.