Ninth Circuit Backs Insurers in Decades-Old Hidden Water Damage Case
First-party property insurers are often faced with significant challenges when an insured seeks coverage for damage that occurred many years ago, particularly in regard to establishing whether the damage occurred during the policy period, or whether the insured has fallen afoul of the policy’s requirement that the insurer can only sue the insurer within a...
Federal Court Upholds “Water Damage” Exclusion for Dock and Retaining Wall Windstorm Claim
Windstorm and water intrusion claims are common in Washington State. As we have seen over the years, no two windstorm and water intrusion claims are the same. Oftentimes, the small details of the potentially applicable policy language and the specific facts of the claim at issue can have a substantial impact on the coverage issues...
Washington Court: UIM Insurer Bound by Arbitration Award Despite Trial Request
Injured parties in automobile accidents may file an underinsured motorist (“UIM”) claim before their claims against the at-fault driver have been resolved. In Washington, it is not uncommon for those claims against the at-fault driver to go through the mandatory arbitration process under Washington’s mandatory arbitration rules (“MAR”). The uncertainty regarding the valuation of the...