INSURANCE COVERAGE

Even seemingly simple coverage questions have the potential for hidden nuances and pitfalls; an ill-considered coverage denial is an invitation for a bad faith claim. The first step in avoiding a bad faith claim is to do an informed review of the claim prior to rendering a coverage determination.

Our coverage attorneys have a wealth of experience in interpreting insurance policies, completing legal research, and providing concise, useful coverage opinions to our clients. We recognize that when it comes to reaching a coverage determination, time is of the essence. Indeed, a delay in handling a claim and resolving a coverage dispute is one of the main arguments brought by plaintiffs in bad faith cases. Thus, we provide accurate, thorough, and prompt coverage advice to our clients.

McCormick & Priore, P.C. has provided opinions to insurance carriers on all aspects of coverage issues, arising from virtually any setting. This includes providing coverage opinions and pursuing declaratory judgment actions where necessary, on such wide-ranging issues as comprehensive general liability policies, contractor and subcontractor insurance policies, excess insurance policies, garage policies, homeowners policies, and automobile insurance policies. On issues as diverse as pollution exclusions and the stacking of automobile coverages, each policy and endorsement is critically analyzed to determine whether the coverage is applicable in the first instance, whether the conditions of the policy for providing coverage have been met, whether the particular fact pattern warrants the application of an exclusion, as well as whether a duty to defend exists at all, and the possible need for a reservation of rights.

Our attorneys will bring or defend declaratory judgments on uncertain aspects of coverage to obtain a judicial resolution of a coverage question and provide certainty for our clients. From priority of recovery of first-party medical benefits to the appropriate way to address and resolve multiple claims in mass tort, multi-million dollar commercial cases, we treat every coverage opinion with the attention and dedication that our clients have come to expect.