bodily injury News

Mercury Introduces New Umbrella Policy as Bodily Injury Costs Rise in California

Mercury Insurance is introducing a new personal umbrella insurance policy for Californians that is designed to offer extra protection with bolstered coverages as the company notes that bodily injury payouts continue to climb year over year since the pandemic started …

Appeals Court Rules Insurers Not Obligated to Defend Distributor of Opioids

Westfield National Insurance Co. and Motorists Mutual Insurance Co. are not required by their insurance contracts to defend generic drug distributor Quest Pharmaceuticals against dozens of opioid-related lawsuits. According to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, language in the …

Allstate to Increase Magnitude of Auto Rate Hikes in 2022

Allstate said it is raising auto insurance rates more due to continued upticks in physical damage and bodily injury severity. The personal property insurer said in a statement on April 21 that first quarter unfavorable non-catastrophe prior-year reserves re-estimates were …

Insurer Must Cover Defendant in Fatal Bathroom Fight Lawsuit

A Delaware judge says an insurance company must extend liability coverage to a teenager who was convicted of criminally negligent homicide after a school bathroom attack captured on cellphone video that left a 16-year-old girl dead. The judge ruled Wednesday …

20 Indicted in Washington for Staging Crashes to Defraud Auto Insurers

Twenty people have been indicted by a grand jury in Spokane, Wash., for allegedly staging vehicle crashes to defraud insurance companies. Defendants are accused of deliberately staging a series of automobile, boating, pedestrian/vehicle and other accidents in Washington, Idaho, Nevada …

Expert Sounds off on Legal, Insurance Issues of Self-driving Cars

Editor’s note: To hear the full interview click on the podcast above or visit www.insuarncejournal.tv. Hilary Rowen, a partner in the law firm of Sedgwick LLP in Sacramento, Calif., for the last three years, has been analyzing and following the …

IRC: Uninsured Motorists a Perplexing, Pervasive Concern

A new report shows there hasn’t been much ground gained in the battle to reduce the number of uninsured motorists on the road, and there’s nowhere experts can point their fingers as an explanation of the pervasive problem. From a …

New Mexico Drunken Driver Explains Suit Against Friend, Restaurants

A Santa Fe, N.M. man convicted of a fatal 2010 drunken-driving accident says his filing a lawsuit against two restaurants and a drinking buddy doesn’t mean he’s not taking responsibility for his actions. James Ruiz, 37, filed a lawsuit Wednesday …