Tag: Georgia

Professional Liability

Presumed Innocent: But Rescission Still Available to Void Coverage Due to Misrepresentations

A court rescinded a Georgia attorney’s professional liability coverage after his partner stole more than a million dollars from clients and lied about it on their firm’s insurance application. A federal district court in Georgia granted an insurer’s motion for summary judgment earlier this month, permitting rescission of the professional liability insurance policy issued to the attorney’s law firm. ProAssurance Cas. Co. v. Smith, No. CV415-051, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 105033 (S.D. Ga. Aug. 9, 2016).

From 2013 to 2014, the attorney’s partner committed …

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Fraud

Daughter Does Not Have to Pay for the Sins of Her Mother: Insurer Entitled to Restitution from Insureds but Appellate Court Remands Damage Award

The 2015 holiday season might be a bit tense for a mother-daughter team ordered to pay restitution to their insurer for fraud and misrepresentation. Secura Ins. v. Thomas, 2015 Mich. App. LEXIS 2230 (Mich. App. December 1, 2015). While restitution was owed for the wrongful acts, the court held joint and several liability did not apply to frauds in which a party (the daughter) was not directly involved. This case presents an example an insurer performing excellent due diligence in discovering fraud, and a …

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Bad Faith and Extra-Contractual Liability

Policyholder’s Breach of Insurer Consent To Settle Clause Precludes Bad Faith Claim

In Piedmont Office Realty Trust, Inc. v. XL Specialty Insurance Co., 2015 WL 1773620 (Ga. Apr. 20, 2015), XL had provided Piedmont an excess policy with limits of $10 million excess of $10 million. The policy provided that XL will only pay for a “loss” that the policyholder became “legally obligated to pay.” The policy required the insurer’s consent to settle a claim, although it stated that the insurer would not unreasonably withhold consent. Further, the policy contained a provision prohibiting actions against XL …

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