Explore 25 court opinions on Duty To Defend. AI-powered plain English summaries, key holdings, and legal analysis.
25 recent cases analyzed in this topic area.
Ohio Court: Ambiguous Exclusion Clause Triggers Insurance Coverage
Shelter Mut. Ins. Co. v. Jones, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on April 24, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dispute involved whether Shelter Mutual Insurance Company could deny c...
Insurance duty to defend prior acts exclusion does not apply to termination during policy period
Purple Pride, Inc., First Protective Insurance Company v. Burgess, decided by Florida District Court of Appeal on March 18, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dispute involved whether...
Insurance policy exclusion bars coverage for wrongful termination claims
Purple Pride, Inc., First Protective Insurance Company v. Burgess, decided by Florida District Court of Appeal on March 18, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The core dispute involved whether...
Subcontractor's insurer has no duty to defend based on complaint allegations
Jon M. Hall Company, LLC v. Neal Communities of Southwest Florida, LLC, Great Midwest Insurance Company, decided by Florida District Court of Appeal on March 11, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outc...
Pollution Exclusion Doesn't Bar Mold Claims, 4th Cir. Rules
City of Wausau v. Illinois Union Insurance Comapy, decided by Fourth Circuit on March 4, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The Fourth Circuit addressed whether an insurance policy's "pollutio...
Insurer not obligated to defend under "any auto" coverage due to named insured exclusion.
Dade Medics and Rehab Centers LLC A/A/O Elizabeth Artiles v. Infinity Indemnity Insurance Company, decided by Florida District Court of Appeal on March 4, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. Th...
Insurance policy's prior acts exclusion does not bar defense for claims made during policy period
Kovar Law Group v. Hoyt, Tower Hill Select Insurance Co., decided by Florida District Court of Appeal on March 3, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dispute centered on whether Tower ...
Subcontractor's insurance policy covers contractor's injury claims
Tri City Electrical Contractors, Inc., Amerisure Mutual Insurance Company v. Gondek, decided by Florida District Court of Appeal on February 25, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dis...
Insurance Policy's "Named Insured" Clause Does Not Cover Permissive Users
Hiscox Insurance Company Inc., Etc. v. Meredith Werline, Etc., decided by Florida District Court of Appeal on February 18, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The core dispute involved whether ...
Insurer Must Defend Policyholder Against Fraud Claims Despite Exclusion
Copeland Corp., L.L.C. v. Travelers Cas. & Sur. Co., decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on February 17, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dispute involved whether Travelers Casualty an...
Insurance exclusion for economic loss bars duty to defend
Reidy Contracting Group, LLC v. Mt. Hawley Insurance Company, decided by Second Circuit on February 12, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Second Circuit affirmed the district court's gran...
Prior Notice Exclusion Applies to Hit-and-Run Accident
Great West Casualty Co. v. Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Co., decided by Seventh Circuit on February 11, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Seventh Circuit addressed whether an insurer...
PA Supreme Court: Spouse exclusion in auto policy is unenforceable
Erie Insurance Ex. v. United Services Auto, Aplt., decided by Pennsylvania Supreme Court on January 21, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dispute centered on whether Erie Insurance c...
CA4: COVID-19 business interruption losses covered by 'all risks' policy
Navigators Insurance Company v. Under Armour, Incorporated, decided by Fourth Circuit on January 20, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The Fourth Circuit addressed whether an "all risks" prop...
Insurance duty to defend includes "substantially certain" harm, not just intent
Rababy v. Safeco Ins. Co., decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on December 24, 2025, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dispute involved whether Safeco Insurance Company was obligated to defen...
Pollution Exclusion Does Not Bar Coverage for Fugitive Emissions
Balfour Beatty v. Penn Patriot Ins., Aplt., decided by Pennsylvania Supreme Court on December 19, 2025, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court addressed whether an insuran...
Pollution exclusion applies; 'sudden and accidental' exception does not save coverage
Balfour Beatty v. Penn Patriot Ins., Aplt., decided by Pennsylvania Supreme Court on December 19, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court addressed whether an insuran...
Insurer Must Defend Insured Against Defective Work Claims
Balfour Beatty v. Penn Patriot Ins., Aplt., decided by Pennsylvania Supreme Court on December 19, 2025, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The Pennsylvania Superior Court addressed whether an insure...
Insurance policy's advertising injury clause doesn't cover patent infringement
Axis Insurance Company v. Barracuda Networks, Inc., decided by First Circuit on November 20, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The core dispute centered on whether Axis Insurance Company was ...
All Sums Allocation Not Applicable to Claims-Made-And-Reported Policies
Monica Gray v. State Farm Mutual Auto. Ins. Co., decided by Sixth Circuit on November 20, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary ju...
Eighth Circuit: "All-Risk" Policy Exclusion for Mold Upheld
Maxus Metropolitan, LLC v. Travelers Property Casualty Co., decided by Eighth Circuit on November 17, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant ...
Reporting claim within policy period is condition precedent to coverage
Sheriff of Broward County v. Evanston Insurance Company, decided by Eleventh Circuit on November 10, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Eleventh Circuit addressed whether a "claims-made-an...
Eleventh Circuit: Absolute Pollution Exclusion Bars Coverage for Waste Disposal Claims
L. Squared Industries, Inc. v. Nautilus Insurance Company, decided by Eleventh Circuit on October 15, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Eleventh Circuit addressed whether Nautilus Insuran...
Water heater leak not covered by 'all-risk' policy
Erie Indemnity Co v. Troy Stephenson, decided by Third Circuit on October 14, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Third Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to Er...
Insurer cannot recover defense costs when duty to defend was triggered
State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. v. Diblin, decided by California Court of Appeal on October 7, 2025, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dispute involved whether State Farm Fire and Casualt...