Employers Reinsurance Company, now known as Westport Insurance Corporation (“Westport”), provided reinsurance coverage for insurance policies issued by Connecticut Specialty Insurance Company (the “Reinsurance Agreement”).  Royal Surplus Lines Insurance Company, later known as Arrowood Surplus Lines Insurance Company (“Arrowood”), entered into an agreement by which it assumed Connecticut Specialty’s liabilities under certain policies, including a general liability policy issued to Equity Residential (the “Policy”).
Read More Connecticut Federal Court Finds that Reinsurer Does Not Have to Follow Cedent’s Fortunes

On Tuesday, November 10, 2009, the Senate Banking Committee, chaired by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), released a first draft for discussion of the American Financial Stability Act of 2009 (the “Act”). 


Read More Senate Banking Committee Releases First Draft of American Financial Stability Act of 2009; Includes Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act and National Insurance Office

The Virginia State Corporation Commission Bureau of Insurance (the “Bureau”) recently issued a bulletin to provide guidance on the development and implementation of privacy safeguards to all insurers, health service plans, health maintenance organizations, surplus lines brokers and other interested parties.


Read More Virginia Issues Guidance on Information Security Program Requirement

On August 28, 2009, Delta Financial Corp. (“Delta”) filed a Notice of Appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit seeking to overturn the dismissal of its coverage action against Westchester Surplus Lines Insurance Co. (“Westchester”) and United States Fire Insurance Co. (“USFI”).
Read More Delta Financial Appeals Denial of D&O Coverage Based on Inadequate Consideration (“Bump Up”) Exclusion

This updates our June 30, 2009 blog post.  The recently proposed Eleventh Amendment (the “Amendment”) to Regulation 41 (11 NYCRR 27), which governs the standards for excess lines placement, became effective on September 2, 2009.  The Amendment placed several additional categories of risks insured by excess lines carriers on the New York Export List. 


Read More New York Expands Export List

The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance recently issued Bulletin 09-21, which advises that amendments to N.J.S.A. § 17:22-6.59 and 17:22-6.64 were enacted on June 29, 2009.  The amendments change the surplus lines premium tax rate from three percent to five percent. 


Read More New Jersey Increases Surplus Lines Premium Tax Rates