Insurance coverage disputes raise issues in which laws and outcomes regularly vary from state to state. Whether a claim is covered can depend a great deal on whether the case arises on one side of the street or another. It is imperative that insurance claims professionals, lawyers, brokers, risk managers, risk consultants, regulators and judges have adequate access to comparative state-law research. This book is designed to give the stakeholders in the claims process ready access to the law of all 50 states on the most important liability insurance issues to quickly learn and assess state law relevant to coverage disputes. The Second Edition includes nearly 800 new cases covering all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and adds a new chapter addressing Coverage for Pre-Tender Defense Costs.

"This treatise explains how certain principles or doctrines such as insurable interests, designation of insurers, and risk transference apply to property, life, liability, or other types of insurance. It also addresses insurance law issues and suggests lines of analysis to consider in order to better evaluate the merits of a claim. Other subjects include conceptualization, classification, marketing, indemnity, insurability, claim processes, and settlements. Also overviews insurance regulation, government sponsorship of insurance, and resolving disputed claims."--

Fundamentals of Insurance Coverage in All 50 States is a unique compendium and overview of all aspects of insurance coverage law in every state, with a special emphasis on some of the unique aspects of insurance coverage involving environmental claims. The treatise utilizes and cites state and federal statutes, insurance regulations, and case law from every state, as a framework for a unique and unprecedented treatment of this complicated subject. The book is designed specifically for insurance claims handlers and supervisors who have responsibility for or occasion to deal with coverage issues relating to third-party defense litigation, first-party claims litigation, and reservation of rights scenarios. In addition to being an excellent and easy to understand primer on coverage issues and the basic insurance contract, this book is suitable for both the inexperienced claims professional and the seasoned veteran. It is also the perfect "starting point" for any research or litigation briefing by trial lawyers, defense counsel, or in-house insurance counsel. It is a must for anyone with multi-state responsibilities. Fundamentals of Insurance Coverage in All 50 States compile all of the relevant law, regulations and case decisions from all 50 states into one easy to understand and easy to use reference book, the first place a lawyer or claims handler should turn when coverage matters rear their ugly heads. The book intentionally omits references to federal law, which plays a very limited role in insurance regulation, except insofar as it may be necessary to clarify issues of state law. The book is a comprehensive treatment of all coverage issues that the average insurance lawyer, claims handler or supervisor might be expected to run across in any given situation. This one of a kind treatise covers the following issues in all 50 jurisdictions: • Understanding Contracts of Insurance • Law Governing Insurance Policies • Tackling Ambiguity and Interpretation of Policies • General Contract Rules for Interpretation • Rights and Obligations of Contracting Parties • Limitations of the "Construed against Drafter" Rule • The Extent of Risks and Coverages • Good Faith and Fair Dealing; Bad Faith • Basic Policy Defenses • Cooperation of the Insured • Failure to Pay Premiums • Environmental Issues and Related Insurance Law