In a September 22, 2006 post to this blog, we reported on a judgment entered by the UK Commercial Court for damages arising out of a commission addendum entered into by a reinsurer's employee, without authorization from his employer, and a reinsurance intermediary, which provided for an additional “commission” to the intermediary in the amount of 40% of the gross premiums collected for reinsurance placed pursuant to a binder. At a trade conference in the US, an underwriter for the reinsurer made disparaging statements about the intermediary and its US affiliate, and the US affiliate filed suit, inter alia, for damages for breach of contract, interference and defamation. The US Court stayed the prosecution of a breach of contract claim, since it was the subject of the UK action, and granted the reinsurer summary judgment on the remaining claims. Part of the basis for the ruling was a determination that the UK trial court’s judgment amounted to a finding that the European affiliate of the intermediary had defrauded the reinsurer, which carried the reinsurer’s burden to prove the defense that the allegedly defamatory statements were true. Risk Insur. and Reinsur. Solutions v. R + V Versicherung, Case No. 04-61119 (USDC S.D. Fla. June 7, 2007).
Court Refuses to Apply Follow-the-Fortunes Doctrine Due to Inconsistent Positions Taken by Reinsured
American Home Assurance issued insurance covering environmental pollution at multiple sites, and contended throughout its dispute with its insured that the insured had suffered multiple occurrences at multiple sites, in order to maximize the number of deductibles that would apply. After settling with its insured, American Home filed reinsurance claims based upon the theory that there had been only one occurrence per year at each site, in order to minimize the deductibles on its own reinsurance. Although it prevailed against its reinsurers on that theory at the trial court level, an appellate panel has held that such inconsistent conduct, which it termed “manifest manipulation,” resulted in the follow-the-fortunes provision of the reinsurance agreements not applying, apparently resulting in the complete loss of reinsurance coverage since the losses, as allocated consistently with the position taken with the insureds, were all within the deductibles of the reinsurance agreements. Allstate Insurance Co. v. American Home Assurance Co., No. 602594/03 (NY Sup. Ct. App. Div. June 12, 2007).
North Carolina Court of Appeals Grants Appeal of Interlocutory Order Granting Provisional Relief Pending Arbitration
This case arose out of a reinsurance contract between Scottish Re Life Corporation (“Scottish Re”) and Annuity and Life Reassurance Ltd. (ALR). The contract required ALR to maintain significant assets in a trust for Scottish Re’s benefit. In 2005, Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company (“Transamerica”) assumed all of ALR’s obligations to Scottish Re by executing a novation agreement. Scottish Re agreed to release its interest in the trust to Transamerica as part of the novation agreement, not realizing at that time that Transamerica was not licensed or accredited by the State of New York. That fact affected Scottish Re’s financial status and ability to do business in New York. Scottish Re filed a motion to compel arbitration and for provisional and/or injunctive relief. The trial court issued an order directing arbitration and for provisional remedies, requiring Transamerica to either repudiate its claim of rescission or return the assets it had received as part of the novation agreement to a qualifying trust for Scottish Re’s benefit.
Earlier this month, the North Carolina Court of Appeals allowed an appeal from the trial court’s interlocutory order. While interlocutory orders are not generally immediately appealable in state court, the Court of Appeals stated that “[g]iven the large amount of money at issue in this case, the fact that the trial court impinged appellant’s right to the use and control of those assets, and the unavoidable and lengthy delays, acknowledged by both parties, preceding actual arbitration of the matter, we hold that appellee must be granted its appeal to preserve a substantial right.” The Court of Appeals affirmed the granting of provisional remedies. Scottish Re Life Corp. v. Transamerica Occidental Life Ins. Co., No. 06 CVS 2724 (N.C. Ct. App. July 3, 3007).
Congress Considers Renewal of Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which is implemented through the Terrorism Insurance Program of the Department of the Treasury, expires at the end of 2007. A bill had been filed to extend the program for 10 years and add coverage for group life insurance and nuclear, chemical, biological and radiological risks. A Treasury official has stated that the program must be temporary and short-term, should provide for increased participation by the private sector in the covered risks, and rejected the proposal for inclusion of group life insurance. During a prior renewal of the program, the Treasury Department opposed adding group life insurance to the coverage of the program. The proposed renewal bill is H.R. 2761.
Court Resolves Service Issue and Stays US Action Pending Prior-Filed Canadian Action
Canada Life Assurance and Converium Ruckversicherung were parties to a reinsurance agreement that experienced losses as a result of the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centers. A dispute led to an arbitration in Canada and a lawsuit in Canada to vacate the award. Due to a concern as to whether the Canadian Court had jurisdiction, Canada Life filed an action in United States District Court in New Jersey, purporting to make service on Converium’s US counsel in the arbitration. The district court found the service insufficient and quashed it, but declined to dismiss, ordering Canada Life to effectuate service in compliance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure rather than the Federal Arbitration Act, which the Court held did not apply to service of a motion to vacate upon a non-US corporation. Applying principles of international comity, the Court stayed the action pending the resolution of the prior-filed Canadian lawsuit. Canada Life Assur. Co. v. Converium Ruckversicherung AG, Case No. 06-3800 (USDC D.N.J. June 13, 2007).