The insurance industry typically has a significant role to play in public inquiries, and in this article we consider this from the perspective of insurance companies and policyholders. The Rt Hon Baroness Heather Hallett DBE has been appointed Chair of the upcoming UK COVID-19 Inquiry (“the Inquiry”) and we currently await publication of the Terms of Reference, which will determine the scope of the investigation ...
TABLE OF CONTENTS I. The Basic Anatomy of an Insurance Policy A. The Declarations Page B. The Insuring Agreement 1. Duty to Defend 2. Duty to Indemnify C. Definitions D. Exclusions E. Conditions F. Endorsements II. The Difference between First Party and Third Party Coverage III. Duties of the Policyholder A. Duty to Provide Notice 1. Occurrence Policies 2. “Claims Made” and “Claims Made and Reported” Policies B ...
Dallas Bar Association Franchise and Distribution Law Section A publication and corresponding Powerpoint presentation covering the following: The Franchisor-Franchisee Relationship Shifts Certain Liability Risks from the Franchisor to the Franchisee Insurance Is Typically A Contractually-Negotiated Element of the Franchisor-Franchisee Relationship The Difference between First Party and Third Party Coverage The Basic Anatomy of an Insurance Policy What You Should Know About Comm
On top of the multiple challenges hitting retail and leisure landlords and occupiers arising from COVID-19, the news that Intu has had to write down the value of its shopping centre portfolio by nearly £2 billion came as further bad news. Intu owns multiple high-profile retail and leisure locations across the UK (including The Trafford Centre in Manchester and the Lakeside complex in Essex) and on 12 March was widely reported as being at risk of insolvency ...
We have recently witnessed several Swedish governmental decisions and recommendations that restrict citizens and businesses, in order to reduce social contact due to the outbreak of Covid-19. However, so far the authorities have not made any decrees that force tenants to close their businesses, such as restaurants and shops, or that prevent landlords from fulfilling their duty to provide the premises ...
The advent of social networks such as Myspace, Facebook, Diaspora, Photobucket, Twitter, You Tube, and others has brought significant changes to social relationships. In Quebec alone, more than 3,250,000 persons 1 have a profile on Facebook. In 2012, the use of social media intensified in Quebec; indeed, more than three quarters of netsurfers in Quebec visited at lease one social medium or contributed to its content ...
The scope of the insured’s liability (and thus, the insurance companies’ auxiliary liability) is affected not only by national law, but also by EU legislation and case law regarding “use of a motor vehicle.” After a recent Supreme Court resolution, a contradiction between the two has emerged. Motor insurance is one of the most economically significant types of insurance policies ...
Ownership of mines and minerals separately to surface land poses a risk for developers that must be assessed and mitigated as appropriate. It is not uncommon for mines and minerals to be owned separately to the land at the surface and in certain areas of the country, particularly the north, it is frequently encountered ...
The Government has published its response to questions regarding “in occupation” higher-risk buildings. Part 4 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) contains provision about the management of building safety risks in occupied higher-risk buildings. The draft Higher-Risk (Key Buildings Information etc) (England) Regulations 2023 sets out in more detail the allocation of responsibilities and obligations to be provided under that Part ...
A commercial lease does not end on the sole basis that the lessee declares bankruptcy; to the contrary, the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (“BIA”) provides that the property of the bankrupt, including the lease, is vested in the trustee. In fact, the terms of the lease are what make it possible for the lessor to terminate the lease should the lessee declare bankruptcy ...
Revised EPC regulations: Where commercial premises larger than 500m² are frequently visited by the public and have an EPC, it must now be displayed at the premises. This new requirement was introduced by the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, which came into force on 9 January 2013. They replace all existing regulations on energy performance certificates, display energy certificates and air conditioning inspections ...
In a unanimous decision rendered on June 22nd , the Supreme Court of Canada confirms the principles previously established by the Court of Appeal: Quebec’s Automobile Insurance Act1 (“Act”) must be given a large and liberal interpretation. In this case, the Court confirms that the mere use of a vehicle as a means of transportation will be sufficient for the Act to apply even if the vehicle is not the cause of the accident ...
The March 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) contains a number of provisions that help borrowers with federally backed mortgage loans. Among these are forbearance protections for borrowers with single-family loans and multifamily loans. However, only one of the forbearance provisions has a clearly defined period when the rights are available ...
On May 14, 2004, the Superior Court rendered judgment in Landry vs. L’Union Vie, Compagnie mutuelle d’assurance1 and allowed the action of the Plaintiff, Ms. Lucie Landry, in which she claimed $50,000 in insurance proceeds following the death of her brother on October 26, 2000, pursuant to a life insurance policy issued by Union Life on July 28, 2000. The case is currently under appeal. The Facts On July 28, 2000, Union Life Mutual Assurance Co ...
In Rushbond Plc v The JS Design Partnership LLP, England’s Technology and Construction Court held that the Defendant firm of architects was not liable for damage to the Claimant’s property caused by a fire started by intruders, when one of its architects left the door to the property open while inspecting it for a potential purchaser ...
In the recent case of Atkins China Ltd v China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) Ltd, HCMP 1193 2020, the Plaintiff sought in its Originating Summons (i) a declaratory judgment that, as a matter of construction, a settlement agreement entered into between the parties had settled all claims and counterclaims arising under a Design Agreement; and (ii) a final injunction restraining the Defendant from taking further steps in the arbitration proceedings commenced in the name of the
The Renters (Reform) Bill was given its first reading in May 2023 after five years of consultation and refinement. The Bill seeks to provide greater flexibility and security for residential tenants in England by imposing additional restrictions and obligations on private landlords. The reforms also look to improve the leasehold system through increased regulation, digitisation and standardisation. A noticeable omission from the Bill, however, is an exemption for private lettings to students ...
Insurance companies ensure uncertain risks of individuals that may arise in the future and cover such risks with the premiums of the insured community. Once the risk has already occurred or is about to occur immediately and one does not have taken out insurance already, it is not possible to get insurance cover anymore ...
On September 27, 2007, Mr. Justice Jean-Guy Dubois of the Superior Court rendered a judgment interpreting the definition of the word “insured” in an insurance policy, more particularly as regards the exclusion of damages caused to a [Translation] “person living under the same roof ”.(1)The facts: The parents of plaintiff Hugo Bérard divorced in 2000. Nathalie Gravel, his mother, who was also a plaintiff, had custody ...
A lifelong right to live in a house owned by someone else is referred to as a right to habitation. Once this right is registered in the Deeds Office, it is enforceable against everyone, including the registered owner of the immovable property (“property”).This position was confirmed in the recent Supreme Court of Appeal case of Hendriks v Hendriks and Others (case no ...