Our Insurance Group boasts industry veterans who handle the full scope of business, regulatory, and litigation matters for domestic and international carriers, brokers, and other insurance-related businesses.
Our attorneys represent insurance carriers and brokers, defend insureds at the carriers' request, assist carriers in claims investigations, and issue opinion letters on the scope of coverage. In all cases, our clients benefit from our resources as a national firm as well as our attorneys' local and regional market knowledge.
We also represent insurance clients in matters that go beyond insurance law, including bankruptcy, tax, health care, construction, and governmental investigations.
Experience
Insurance Coverage
- We represented an insurance company in a declaratory judgment action in which the insured had been sued for exerting undue influence over a testamentary donor.
Bad Faith Defense
- Our attorneys handled a bad faith action involving allegations that the insurer had breached a homeowners' insurance policy and acted in bad faith by delaying payment for property damage and failing to pay certain additional living expenses. The plaintiff claimed to have suffered physical illness and emotional damages as a result of the alleged bad faith.
Class Action
- We handled an important case of first impression with far-reaching ramifications for HMOs in Pennsylvania. In this case, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that the Pennsylvania HMO Act exempts HMOs from complying with the anti-subrogation provisions of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law. The question had been certified to the Supreme Court by the Third Circuit.
Fidelity and Surety Bond
- Our attorneys handled the investigation and defense of a bond claim related to a tax exchange accommodator who misappropriated $100 million.
Insurer Insolvencies
- We obtained a decisive victory for our clients when we persuaded the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania to reject the Pennsylvania Insurance Department's efforts to liquidate two long-term care insurance companies. The court instead ordered that the companies be rehabilitated. The ruling marks the first time a petition to liquidate an insurer was defeated in Pennsylvania. Nationwide, petitions filed by state insurance departments are routinely granted.
Directors and Officers/Professional Liability Insurance
- We represented a public utilities company in a case that resulted in a landmark decision in which, for the first time, directors of Pennsylvania corporations were held to be protected by the "business judgment rule."
