The Road to Insurance Recovery

When facing a lawsuit, most policyholders would understandably rather use familiar, trusted defense counsel instead of attorneys chosen by their insurer.

Policyholders should be reviewing their coverage programs now to identify what claims they will want to submit before major claim-filing deadlines hit in August and December this year.

The earliest COVID-19 insurance court rulings across the country were decided under a preliminary “motion to dismiss” standard – meaning, the courts were deciding whether the insured had a plausible claim for relief against the insurer if the insured’s allegations could be proven true, not that the insured was, in fact, entitled to coverage.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began earlier this year, policyholders have filed over a thousand lawsuits against their insurance carriers seeking coverage for business interruption losses caused by the coronavirus or resulting stay-at-home orders. 

Wildfires blazed through millions of acres along the West Coast this year, reportedly killing dozens of people, destroying thousands of structures and causing billions of dollars in insured losses. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S., insurance coverage lawyers – both on the policyholder and insurer side of the aisle – were all bracing themselves for an onslaught of litigation, and they would all be partly right. 

Lathrop GPM Insurance Recovery attorneys are busy advising clients on insurance coverage issues in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve also been tapped to share insights with various media outlets on this topic and several others recently. Below please find a collection of articles and media clips since our last round-up on May 4:

The ongoing pandemic resulting from the coronavirus or COVID-19, has had a dramatic effect on healthcare providers, including long-term care facilities, resulting in significant financial losses and liability claims. Contrary to what insurers and many brokers may tell you, these COVID-19-related losses and liability exposures may be covered under standard property and casualty and liability insurance policies.

Mass protests have erupted across the United States – from Los Angeles to New York. Though many of these protests are peaceful and benign, some have led to significant property loss by arson and vandalism, as well as theft, in addition to business interruption damages due to necessary closure of impacted stores and offices. Businesses of all sizes are left wondering whether and how they can recover from these events. First on the list should be to review all potential insurance coverage and promptly submit claims to relevant insurance carriers.

Lathrop GPM Insurance Recovery attorneys are busy advising clients on insurance coverage issues in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve also been tapped to share insights with various media outlets on the topic. Below please find a sampling of articles and media clips since the last time a listing was shared on our March 25, 2020 blog post: