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Bad Facts Make Good Law in Howard v. American National

9/2/2010 Articles

A recent California Court of Appeal case, Howard v. American National Fire Insurance Co., 187 Cal. App. 4th 498 (2010), addresses a question that all insurance litigators will find of particular interest: whether an insurer can breach its duty to settle by rejecting a settlement offer that is within the total available limits of all the insurers' policies, but which exceeds the limits of its own individual policy.  In the first clear statement of California law on this issue, the First Appellate District ruled that the answer is "yes."

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A Promise To Pay Is Just That: Two Courts Reject Insurers’ Bids To Escape Their Coverage Obligations by Complaining About Third Party Recoveries or Reductions in Liabilities

An insurer in Washington could not eliminate its coverage obligation based on its insured’s recovery from a third party.  T-Mobile USA, Inc. v. Steadfast Ins. Co., et al ., No. 82704-9-I, 2022 WL 17246715...

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Fire Preparedness for Vineyards and Wineries

Winter, spring, summer, fire season, and fall – as Californians, we have all become accustomed to a fifth season – fire season. Even worse, fire season was once confined to just a few months...

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Maximizing Your Insurance Coverage for Data Privacy Liability

With news of massive data breaches making headlines in recent years, the handling of personal data has become a focus for legislators and regulators around the world. Compliance with data privacy regulations such as the...

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The Fine Print: A Litigator’s Perspective on Boilerplate Contract and Insurance Provisions

Join Carly Alameda and Amy Briggs in the discussion on "The Fine Print: A Litigator’s Perspective on Boilerplate Contract and Insurance Provisions" to the ACC Bay Area Chapter. Corporate counsel are often tasked with negotiating...

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Farella Braun + Martel Recognized in Benchmark Litigation 2023

Farella Braun + Martel continues to be ranked among the top litigation firms in California in the  Benchmark Litigation  2023 guide. Farella was ranked “Highly Recommended” for Dispute Resolution in California and earned a...

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More Stringent California Claim Law Could Benefit Policyholders

To combat a perceived litigation tactic by plaintiffs counsel of using settlement demands within policy limits to set up insurers for bad faith, insurance company associations lobbied for statutory clarification to avoid uncertainty around...

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Nonprofit Basics: Insurance Coverage for the New Nonprofit

Welcome to EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . Risk management for a nonprofit starts with good governance, effective management and appropriate policies for employment practices, conflicts of interest and financial management...

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Farella Braun + Martel Earns 2023 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" Rankings

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The Fine Print: A Litigator’s Perspective on Boilerplate Contract and Insurance Provisions

Join Carly Alameda and Amy Briggs in the discussion on "The Fine Print: A Litigator’s Perspective on Boilerplate Contract and Insurance Provisions" to the ACC Bay Area Chapter. Corporate counsel are often tasked with negotiating...

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Using Multi-Factor Authentication as a Prerequisite to Cyber Liability Coverage

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is more than an annoying popup or text message when logging onto a company’s website or platform. Not only is using MFA a sound security practice and good business, it is frequently...

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