Fox Paine & Company, LLC v. Twin City Fire Insurance Company 2026 WL 2148053 Insurance coverage litigation is known to move at a glacial pace. So, when the California Supreme Court issues a unanimous coverage opinion that presents a paradigm shift on when to sue an excess carrier for breach of contract and bad faith -- we all pay attention. (Ok, well, maybe not all, but certainly my fellow coverage nerds). The story began with wildly successful investment bank partners, Saul

This article recounts Higginson v. Kia Motors America, Inc., in which the Court of Appeal reversed a defense verdict after determining Kia gave false and misleading responses regarding their engine defect records. The way Kia conducted themselves in this case, considered "criminally stupid" by the court, is analyzed as a cautionary tale by Hon. Vedica Puri (Ret.), and emphasizes the importance of proper e-discovery searches, good-faith meet-and-confer practices, and accurate

The contours tighten around the definition of “direct physical loss” on a wildfire claim, in line with long-standing CA law defining the same. Gharibian v. Wawanesa Gen. Ins. Co. (2025) 108 Cal.App .5th 730, 737-738 (debris and ash from a major wildfire were not considered “direct physical loss” under a property policy.) As California wildfires, and corresponding property damage claims, become common place, Courts will have a pivotal role in defining what kinds of wildfire