Federal and state courts tackled a myriad of interesting insurance-related issues this past year. Over two years into the pandemic, we saw the first state high court decision regarding whether property policies provide coverage for COVID-19 losses. Elsewhere, as our country continues to grapple with the opioid epidemic, courts are confronted with whether commercial general liability policies provide coverage for various opioid-related damages. In a very interesting policyholder friendly decision, the Supreme Court of Washington found a claims-made CGL policy to be violative of public policy. The Court of Appeals of North Carolina was tasked with evaluating coverage for a disease contracted through a hot tub display. And - on the more mundane side, yet still important for the industry - the Texas Supreme Court refined its application of the eight-corners rule. These are merely a sampling of the impactful insurance decisions rendered in 2022.

Reprinted courtesy of Jeffrey J. Vita, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C., Grace V. Hebbel, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. and Michael A. Amato, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.
Mr. Vita may be contacted at JVita@sdvlaw.com
Ms. Hebbel may be contacted at GHebbel@sdvlaw.com
Mr. Amato may be contacted at MAmato@sdvlaw.com