Earlier this year the Oregon Supreme Court expanded the potential liability of contractors and others for injury to employees of others on a job site, making it more critical than ever for contractors to ensure that they have additional insured
The Northwest Policyholder
A legal blog focused on insurance coverage issues in the Pacific Northwest
The Northwest Policyholder, published by Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP, focuses on insurance law and policyholder rights, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. The blog covers topics such as insurance coverage disputes, interpretation of insurance policy language, business income loss claims related to events like COVID-19 and natural disasters, additional insured endorsements, and legislative developments affecting insurance claims. It also addresses industry-specific insurance issues, including those impacting sectors like construction and cannabis businesses. The blog provides updates on relevant court decisions, legislative proposals, and practical guidance for policyholders navigating complex insurance recovery matters.
Latest from The Northwest Policyholder - Page 6
If You Purchase Contaminated Property, Is It Covered?
Can a policyholder that knowingly purchases contaminated property be covered for the costs of cleaning up that property under policies of insurance issued before the purchase? Yes, according to a new unpublished decision from the Washington Court of Appeals.
In…
What’s in a Relationship? Part 1
Director & Officer Liability insurance (“D&O”) and professional liability insurance are written on a claims-made basis, and through either definitions or exclusions, treat claims that are related as one claim. Why does it matter if various claims made against an…
New Ruling May Require Tailoring Cyber-Ransom Coverage
By Seth Row
Cyber-ransom is the talk of the town when it comes to insurance these days, second only to social engineering fraud. A cyber-ransom event typically involves malicious code (malware) being installed on an individual computer or a system, typically through a…
Guest Feature: Apartment Owners’ Liability for Loss of Renters’ Personal Data [VIDEO]
By Seth Row
In case you missed this last week, our friends at HFO Investment Real Estate have published an excellent video (posted here with permission) featuring an extensive interview with Vice Presidents Heidi Tapasa and Ted Stark of USI Insurance Services on the subject…
Three Takeaways for NW Companies from Recent Cyber-Coverage Events
By Seth Row
In the past few months we have seen a few new developments on the cyber-risk frontier, including a court decision in Arizona in the P.F. Chang’s case, and the emergence of social engineering fraud as a stand-alone coverage. Here are…
Insurance Implications Loom in Oregon’s New Negligent-Construction Statute of Limitations
Last Thursday, the Oregon Supreme Court issued its opinion in Goodwin v. Kingsmen Plastering, Inc., 359 Or 694 (2016), holding that the deadline to file a negligent construction-defect claim is two years from the time a plaintiff knew or should…
In Washington, Coverage for Sole Proprietorship Must Include Broad Definition of “Insured”
By Seth Row
I ran across a cautionary tale recently in a new Washington federal-court decision in Staheli v. Chicago Insurance Company. The lesson: in Washington, or any other community-property state, a liability policy covering a sole proprietorship must define “insured” broadly…
Different Approaches to the Duty to Defend in Oregon and Washington
Oregon and Washington are often viewed as sister states, similar in their climates, policies and attitudes. Yet, while the two states share a border and a uniquely Pacific Northwest culture, their approaches to insurance law differ greatly. In particular, the…
From the UP Blog: Portland Harbor Superfund Litigation Has “Super” Implications For Policyholders
By Seth Row
I was privileged enough to be invited to write the following guest blog post on May 2, 2016 for the blog of United Policyholders, an advocacy organization for commercial and personal-lines policyholders. Our firm has had the privilege of writing…