Under UK law, a reinsurance broker may assert a lien over claim proceeds for premiums for reinsurance coverage paid by the party's broker, but not reimbursed by the reinsured. Heath Lambert Ltd. v. Sociedad de Corretaje de Seguros, [2006] EWHC 1345 (June 9, 2006).
UK COURT APPROVES INSURANCE BUSINESS TRANSFER SCHEME FOR ZURICH GROUP COMPANIES
The High Court of Justice has approved an insurance business transfer scheme involving four Zurich group companies, finding that the report of an independent expert actuary supported capital retention needs. From a US standpoint, this opinion is interesting in its illustration of the role of an independent expert in such proceedings, where the retention of the expert and the report is approved by the FSA. In re Eagle Star Insurance Company Limited and Others, [2006] EWHC 1850 (Chancery Division June 29, 2006).
2006 Annual Update – Recent Developments in Excess Insurance, Surplus Lines Insurance, and Reinsurance Law
Roberta D. Anderson, Michael J. Rothman, Andrew A. Magwood, Kara H. Goodchild, Earl D. Zimmerman, Tort Trial & Ins. Prac. L. J., vol. 41, no. 2, at 393 (Winter 2006). This article is part of the annual survey of developments in tort and insurance law published each winter by the ABA's Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section.
Fourth Circuit upholds negotiated reserve allocation for long term care policies
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a District Court decision granting summary judgment to a reinsurer, finding the negotiated contractual allocation of responsibility for complying the South Carolina's requirements for active life reserves for long term care policies was valid and enforceable, and not in violation of South Carolina law or public policy. Kanawha Insurance Corp. v. Employers Reinsurance Corp., Case No. 05-2206 (July 12, 2006).
Judge finds ambiguity as to whether two reinsurance agreements provide for a single or an annual aggregate limit
Cross motions for summary judgment were denied in Professional Consultants Insurance Co. v. Employers Reinsurance Co., Case No. 1:03-cv-216 (D. Vt. March 28, 2006), where the Court found that two reinsurance agreements covering professional liability policies were ambiguous as to whether the reinsurance provided an aggregate annual, or a per-policy, limit on the liability of the reinsurer. This case settled and was dismissed in June 2006. Professional Consultants Insurance Company v. Employers Reinsurance Company, 2006 WL 751244 (D. Vt. March 8, 2006) (slip opinion).