Latest Lawsuits Headlines

All the headlines from our Lawsuits Topic Page, ordered by recency.

PCI Lauds Class Action ‘Best Practices’ for Illinois Courts

Nov 28 2004 // A proposed rule change governing class action lawsuits that would benefit Illinois consumers and businesses will likely be opposed by the Illinois State Bar Association, according to the Property Casualty Insurers...

Chrysler Sues Allianz for Blackout Losses

Nov 24 2004 // DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group has sued insurers for refusing to cover losses the company sustained during the 2003 blackout. The outage—the worst in U.S. history—left millions of Michigan residents without...

Mutual Risk Management Reports Hancock Motion to Dismiss Lawsuit Denied

Nov 22 2004 // Mutual Risk Management Ltd. (MRM) announced on Monday that the federal judge presiding over its multi-million dollar claim for tortious interference against John Hancock Life Insurance Company (Hancock) has denied...

Competitive Storm Brewing — What Spitzer’s Lawsuit May Mean to Us All

Nov 22 2004 // Perhaps like you, I have been fascinated by the press coverage our industry has received lately–probably more individual stories in prominent newspapers than at any other point in the last 25 years, all thanks to the...

Competitive Storm Brewing — What Spitzer’s Lawsuit May Mean to Us All

Nov 22 2004 // Perhaps like you, I have been fascinated by the press coverage our industry has received lately–probably more individual stories in prominent newspapers than at any other point in the last 25 years, all thanks to the...

Calif. Commissioner Files Suit Against ULR and Insurers

Nov 18 2004 // Commissioner John Garamendi on Thursday announced a major lawsuit against Universal Life Resources of San Diego and four major insurers accused of hiding millions of dollars in secret commissions. During a news conference...

Spitzer Sues Universal Life Resources over Broker Pay

Nov 15 2004 // A California-based company that brokers life, accident and disability policies for leading U.S. companies pocketed millions of dollars a year in hidden payments from insurers and from charges on clients’ unsuspecting...

AIA: CAAA Lawsuit will Undermine Workers’ Compensation Reforms

Nov 11 2004 // The American Insurance Association (AIA) issued the statement below in response to the lawsuit filed by the California Applicant Attorneys Association (CAAA) challenging the regulations regarding Medical Provider Networks...

Aon Preps for Spitzer Suit With $890M Line of Credit

Nov 11 2004 // Chicago-based Aon Corp., the world’s No. 2 insurance broker, said it is negotiating with lenders to access about $890 million in credit should Spitzer choose the company as his next target, according to Bloomberg...

Litigation Verdict Delays Vesta Insurance Earnings Info

Nov 10 2004 // Vesta Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:VTA) announced it is delaying its earnings release and previously scheduled conference call until Nov. 16. The Birmingham, Ala.-based company will file a SEC Form 12b-25 to delay the...

PCI Seeks November Vote on Class Action Reform

Nov 10 2004 // In a letter to Senate Leaders, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Carl Parks this week urged the passage of class action reform legislation before Congress adjourns...

Agents Watching Spitzer Broker Fraud Charges Closely

Nov 8 2004 // New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer’s filing on Oct. 14 of charges against giant insurance broker Marsh for alleged commercial account steering and bid rigging has already had significant impact on Marsh and is...

Industry in the Bull’s Eye

Nov 8 2004 // In the days after New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer filed a civil lawsuit against insurance broker Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. for alleged commercial account steering and bid rigging, the insurance industry...

When Do You File a Declaratory Judgment Action’

Nov 8 2004 // One of the thorniest issues that an insurance adjuster may face is deciding to bring an affirmative declaratory judgment action following a denial of coverage or a decision to defend under a reservation of rights. The...

Looking at the Med-Mal Crisis from Both Sides

Nov 8 2004 // Insurance Journal National Editor Andrea Ortega-Wells recently moderated a “Take Two” debate discussing the hot topic of medical malpractice, and what, if any, reforms are needed. The debate features Paula...

Unfair Trade Practices Unfair to Insurance Agents

Nov 8 2004 // Here is a tale of two sellers. A realtor sold a home in a quiet neighborhood to a nice family. Shortly after settling in, the new homeowners begin to discover certain defects in the property, which had not been disclosed...

Agents Watching Spitzer Broker Fraud Charges Closely

Nov 8 2004 // New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer’s filing on Oct. 14 of charges against giant insurance broker Marsh for alleged commercial account steering and bid rigging has already had significant impact on Marsh and is...

Construction Defect Legislation Defended by Colo. Voters Overwhelmingly

Nov 4 2004 // Voters in Colorado Nov. 2 overwhelmingly turned back an effort to amend the state’s constitution and gut a construction defects reform measure passed by the legislature last year. In a victory for consumers and the...

Poll: Republicans Blame Malpractice Lawsuits for Rising Health Costs; Democrats Blame Insurers

Nov 2 2004 // Republicans were three times as likely as Democrats to blame rising health costs on malpractice lawsuits, according to a poll conducted for The (Baltimore) Sun, and Democrats were twice as likely as Republicans to blame...

Lorillard Wins N.Y. Cigarette Suit

Nov 1 2004 // Tobacco company Lorillard says it has won an individual smoker trial with claims related to the asbestos in the original Kent filter and claims related to tobacco use. In a unanimous verdict, a Manhattan state court jury...