Third Party Insurance Coverage Litigation

Time Limit Settlement Demands – What is the Insurance Company’s Responsibility?

We are sometimes asked by insurance company representatives about how to respond to a plaintiff’s time limit settlement demand. There are no direct Tennessee cases on point on this issue, though Tennessee does have certain requirements in considering settlement demands against an insured. In Tennessee,...

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Riad Decision Sheds Light on Tennessee Statutory Bad-Faith Claims

I recently wrote about a recent Court of Appeals decision on an insurance contract claim concerning several issues that come up in first-party bad faith claims against insurers, including the admissibility of evidence that would ordinarily amount to hearsay and excluded from introduction at trial....

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Tennessee Legislature Repairs the Sinkhole Problem

The Tennessee Legislature recently amended T.C.A. § 56-7-130, the statute requiring insurance carriers offering homeowner’s insurance in the state to “make available” sinkhole coverage to their insureds. The new statute clarifies sinkhole coverage is optional and available upon request by the insured. This...

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LOOK OUT! Those Cars with the Pink Mustache May Not Have Insurance Coverage

Have you seen those cars around town with a pink mustache? The drivers of those cars are apparently associated with companies such as Lyft, Uber, and/or others. Through the use of a mobile app installed on a smartphone, rides may be provided to those who...

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“Reverse” Bad Faith – Insurers Can Actually Recover for an Insured’s Bad Faith in Bringing a Lawsuit

Those who have worked in the insurance industry are familiar with threats of lawsuits alleging bad faith, and many have actually been involved in such lawsuits seeking bad faith penalties. What may be less-known is a provision in the Tennessee Code that actually allows insurance...

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Offer of Settlement Triggers Policy’s Suit Limitation Clause

Most homeowners’ policies and other commercial property insurance policies contain suit limitations clauses, also known as “Suit Against Us” clauses, limiting the time period upon which an insured may bring suit against the insurer. Tennessee Courts have considered such clauses with respect to denials of...

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Tennessee Court Finds Low Threshold to Constitute “Regular or Frequent” Use of an Auto

The Tennessee Court of Appeals recently provided a bit more guidance with respect to the specific facts necessary to demonstrate regular or frequent use of an automobile as to trigger application of an important policy exclusion. The Court’s recent opinion in Kelley Weed v. First...

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