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Practical Guide to Evaluating and Eliminating Biased Insurance Experts

Critically examining and applying the Demer framework

Authorities

These authorities are cited in recent posts and a draft E-Treatise on myriad topics. A searchable database will launch shortly, including thousands of cases and several hundred articles on the insurance industry’s improper reliance on biased experts to dispute, deny, or minimize claims. The database highlights significant rulings attorneys should consider when litigating these issues. The searchable database will provide a robust resource for analyzing these issues from various angles. Please check back for updates.

Blog post 2: Demer’s Paradigm for Assessing Biased Insurance Experts

Arizona

Demer v. IBM Corp. LTD Plan (9th Cir. 2016) 835 F.3d 893

California

Bagramyan v. Gov’t Employees Ins. Co. (Cal. Ct. App., July 20, 2023) 2023 WL 4636118
Carma Developers (Cal.), Inc. v. Marathon Development California, Inc. (1992) 2 Cal.4th 342
Chateau Chamberay Homeowners Assn. v. Associated Internat. Ins. Co. (2001) 90 Cal.App.4th 335
Colonial Life & Accident Ins. Co. v. Superior (1982) 31 Cal.3d 785
Eastman v. Allstate Ins. Co. (S.D. Cal. July 15, 2015) 2015 WL 4393287
Egan v. Mutual of Omaha Ins. Co. (1979) 24 Cal.3d 809
Guebara v. Allstate Ins. Co. (9th Cir. 2001) 237 F.3d 987
Haas v. County of San Bernardino (2002) 27 Cal.4th 1017
Hangarter v. Provident Life and Acc. Ins. Co. (9th Cir. 2004) 373 F.3d 998
Haworth v. Superior Court (2010) 50 Cal.4th 372
Leung v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of America (S.D. Cal. June 15, 2023) 2023 WL 4056041
Michael v. Aetna Life & Casualty Ins. Co. (2001) 88 Cal.App.4th 925
Natarajan v. Dignity Health (2021) 11 Cal.5th 1095
Nolan v. Heald Coll. (9th Cir. 2009) 551 F.3d 1148
Sargon Enterprises, Inc. v. University of Southern California (2012) 55 Cal.4th 747
State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. v. Nicholson (Alaska 1989) 777 P.2d 1152
Wilson v. 21st Century Ins. Co. (2007) 42 Cal.4th 713

Hawaii

Best Place, Inc. v. Penn Am. Ins. Co. (1996) 82 Hawai’i 120 [920 P.2d 334]

Blog post 3: Expert Bias Toolkit

The following are a few of the many cases that contain successful or partially successful discovery requests related to metrics (compensation, assignments, reliability, and denials), other insured claim files and contact details, intermediaries, expert reports for other insureds, and reasonable measures to ensure expert neutrality and reliability.

Arizona

Adams v. Symetra Life Ins. Co. (D. Ariz., Mar. 17, 2020) 2020 WL 1275721
Coffou v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am. (D. Ariz., Mar. 11, 2020) 2020 WL 1502104
Franklin v. Hartford Life and Accident Ins. Co. (D. Ariz., Dec. 7, 2023) 2023 WL 8481407
Kip Jones v. Life Ins. Co. of N.A. (D. Ariz., 2020) 457 F.Supp.3d 751

California

Albert D. Seeno Construction Co. v. Aspen Ins. UK Ltd. (N.D. Cal., Nov. 29, 2018, and Jan. 17, 2019) 2019 WL 13439001
Beal v. Marsh & McLennan Companies Pers. Acc. Ins. Plan (C.D. Cal., Dec. 3, 2010) 2010 WL 5136041
Bresk v. Unimerica Insurance Company (C.D. Cal., Nov. 16, 2017) 2017 WL 10439831
Bumpus v. U.S. Financial Life Ins. Co. (E.D. Cal., August 4, 2023) 2023 WL 5002935
Chacko v. AT&T Umbrella Benefit Plan No. 3 (E.D. Cal., Apr. 27, 2020) 2020 WL 1984171
Eastman v. Allstate Insurance Company (S.D. Cal., Jul. 15, 2016) 2016 WL 439287
Eisner v. Prudential Ins. Co. of Am. (N.D. Cal., May 3, 2013) 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 65090
Lee v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Long Term Disability Plan (N.D. Cal., July 14, 2010) 2010 WL 2803105
Permanent General Assur. v. Superior Court (2004) 19 Cal.Rptr.3d 597 (de-published)
Whalen v. Standard Ins. Co. (C.D. Cal., Apr. 14, 2009) 2009 WL 1054923
Worth Bargain Outlet v AMCO Ins. Co. (S.D. Cal., Mar. 24, 2010) 2010 WL 11508880

Colorado

Douponce v. Drake (D. Colo. 1998) 183 F.R.D. 565

Louisiana

Brown v. Bush (La. Ct. App.., 1998) 724 So.2d 762

Maine

Achorn v. Prudential Ins. Co. of Am. (D. Maine, Sep. 25, 2008) 2008 WL 4427159
Montana
Capers v. One Beacon Ins. Co. (D. Mont., Jun. 13, 2008) 2008 WL 11347702
Nei v. Travelers Home and Marine Ins. Co. (D. Mont., 2018) 326 F.R.D. 652

Nevada

McCall v. State Farm Mut. Ins. Co., (D. Nev., Jul. 26, 2017) 2017 WL 3174914
Phillips v. Clark County. Sch. Dist. (D. Nev., Jan. 18, 2012) 2012 WL 135705
Ohio
Poneris v. Pa. Life Ins. Co. (S.D. Ohio, Oct. 18, 2007) 2007 WL 3047232
Way, Int’l v. Exec. Risk Indem., Inc. (S.D. Ohio, Jan. 27, 2009) 2009 WL 3157402

Pennsylvania

PECO Energy Co. v. Insurance Co. of North America (2004) 852 A.2d 1230

Blog post 4 (Next): An Insurance Policy Creates a “Special Relationship”

Alabama

Alabama Mun. Ins. v. Munich Reinsurance Am., Inc., 526 F. Supp. 3d 1133, 1136–1137 (M.D. Ala. 2021).

Alaska

State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. v. Nicholson, 777 P.2d 1152, 1155–1157 (Alaska 1989).

Arizona

Noble v. National American Life Insurance Co., 128 Ariz. 188 [624 P.2d 866] (1981)
Rawlings v. Apodaca, 151 Ariz. 149, 163 [726 P.2d 565] (1986)

California

Brown v. U.S.A. Taekwondo, 11 Cal.5th 204 [483 P.3d 159] (2021)
Comunale v. Traders & General Ins., Co. 50 Cal.2d 654 [328 P.2d 198] (1958)
Crisci v. Security Ins. Co., 66 Cal.2d 425 [426 P.2d 173] (1967)
Egan v. Mutual of Omaha Ins. Co., 24 Cal.3d 809 [620 P.2d 141] (1979)
Foley v. Interactive Data Corp., 47 Cal.3d 654 [765 P.2d 373] (1988)
Freeman & Mills, Inc. v. Belcher Oil Co., 11 Cal.4th 85 [900 P.2d 669] (1995)
Frommoethelydo v. Fire Ins. Exchange, 42 Cal.3d 208 [721 P.2d 41] (1986)
Gruenberg v. Aetna Ins. Co., 9 Cal.3d 566 [510 P.2d 1032] (1973)
Major v. Western Home Ins. Co., 169 Cal.App.4th 1197 [87 Cal.Rptr.3d 556] (2009)
Neal v. Farmers Ins. Exchange, 21 Cal.3d 910 [582 P.2d 980] (1978)
Seaman’s Direct Buying Service, Inc. v. Standard Oil Co., 36 Cal.3d 752 [686 P.2d 1158] (1984)
Silberg v. California Life Ins. Co., 11 Cal.3d 452 [521 P.2d 1103] (1974)
Vu v. Prudential Property & Casualty Ins. Co., 26 Cal.4th 1142 [33 P.3d 487] (2001)
Wilson v. 21st Century Ins. Co., 42 Cal.4th 713 [171 P.3d 1082] (2007)

Colorado

Goodson v. American Standard Ins. Co., 89 P.3d 409 (Colo. 2004)

Connecticut

Grand Sheet Metal Products Co. v. Protection Mutual Ins. Co., 34 Conn. Supp. 46, 51 [375 A.2d 428] (Conn. 1977).
Habetz v. Condon, 224 Conn. 231 [618 A.2d 501] (1992)

Hawaii

Best Place, Inc. v. Penn Am. Ins. Co., 82 Hawai’i 120 [920 P.2d 334] (1996)

Idaho

White v. Unigard, 112 Idaho 94, 99 [730 P.2d 1014] (1986)

Illinois

Roberts v. Western-Southern Life Ins. Co., 568 F. Supp. 536, 554–555 (N.D. Ill. 1983)

Indiana

Erie Ins. Co. v. Hickman by Smith, 622 NE 2d 515 (Ind. 1993)
Missler v. State Farm Ins. Co., 41 N.E.3d 297, 302 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015)

Mississippi

Spencer v. Aetna Life & Cas. Ins. Co., 227 Kan. 914 [611 P.2d 149] (1980)

Mississippi

Andrew Jackson Life Ins. Co. v. Williams, 566 So.2d 1172, 1189 (Miss. 1990) (favorably citing Egan, Rawlings, and Arnold to support punitive damage award).

Montana

Puryer v. HSBC Bank USA, 2018 MT 124, 391 Mont. 361, 370–371 [419 P.3d 105] (Mont. 2018) (citing Story v. City of Bozeman, 242 Mont. 436 [791 P.2d 767] (Mont. 1990)).

Nevada

Ainsworth v. Combined Ins. Co., 104 Nev. 587, 592, 763 P.2d 673, 676 (1988), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 958, 110 S.Ct. 376, 107 L.Ed.2d 361 (1989)

New Mexico

Young v. Hartford Cas. Ins. Co., 503 F. Supp. 3d 1125, 1182-83 (D. N.M. 2020) (citing Bourgeous v. Horizon Healthcare Corp., 117 N.M. 434 [872 P.2d 852] (1994)).

New York

Acquista v. New York Life Ins. Co., 285 A.D.2d 73 (2001)

Ohio

Hoskins v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 6 Ohio St.3d 272, 275–277, 6 OBR 337, 339 [452 N.E.2d 1315, 1319] (1983).

Oklahoma

Wathor v. Mutual Assurance Administrators, Inc., 2004 OK 2 [87 P.3d 559, 561–562] (2004) (citing Christian v. American Home Assur. Co.,1977 OK 141 [577 P.2d 899] (1977)).

Rhode Island

Asermely v. Allstate Ins. Co., 728 A.2d 461 (R.I. 1999)

South Dakota

Trouten v. Heritage Mut. Ins. Co., 2001 S.D. 106, ¶ 30 [632 N.W.2d 856, 863–864] (2001)

Texas

Universe Life Ins. Co. v. Giles, 950 S.W.2d 48, 52-53 (Tex. 1997) (citing Arnold v. National County Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 725 S.W.2d 165(Tex. 1987)).

Utah

Machan v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of America, 116 P.3d 342 (Utah 2005)
Beck v. Farmers Ins. Exchange, 701 P.2d 795, 799 (Utah 1985)

Washington

Cedell v. Farmers Ins. Co., of Washington, 176 Wn.2d 686 [295 P.3d 239] (Wash. 2013)

Wisconsin

Danner v. Auto-Owners Insurance, 245 Wis.2d 49 [629 NW 2d 159] (Wis. 2001) (citing Anderson v. Continental Insurance Co., 85 Wis.2d 675 [271 N.W.2d 368] (Wis. 1978)

Wyoming

Long v. Great W Life & Annuity Ins. Co., 957 P.2d 823, 829 (Wyo. 1998) (citing McCullough v. Golden Rule Ins. Co., 789 P.2d 855 (Wyo. 1990))

Other Authorities

29 U.S.C. §§ 1102 and 1104
Robert F. Schopp and Michael R. Quattrocchi, Tarasoff, The Doctrine of Special Relationships, and the Psychotherapist’s Duty to Warn, 95 J. Psychiatry & Law 13 (1984)
Anderson & Fournier, Why Courts Enforce Policyholders’ Objectively Reasonable Expectations of Coverage, 5 Conn. Ins. L.J. 335, 385–391 (1998-1999)

Blog post 4 (Next): Case Study: Insurer’s Unfettered Discretion in Homeowner’s Claims

California

Abdelhamid v. Fire Ins. Exchange, 182 Cal.App.4th 990 [106 Cal.Rptr.3d 26] (2010)
Aliberti v. Allstate Ins. Co., 74 Cal.App.4th 138 [87 Cal.Rptr.2d 645] (1999)
Brizuela v. CalFarm Ins. Co., 116 Cal.App.4th 578 [10 Cal.Rptr.3d 661] (2004)
Campbell v. Allstate Ins. Co. (1963) 60 Cal.2d 303
Elite Logistics Corp. v. Hanjin Shipping Co., 589 Fed. Appx. 817 (9th Cir. 2014)
Gray v. Zurich Insurance Co., 65 Cal.2d 263, 168 [419 P.2d 168] (1966)
Higgins v Superior Court, 140 Cal.App.4th 1238 [45 Cal.Rptr.3d 293] (2006)
Kapsimallis v. Allstate Ins. Co., 104 Cal.App.4th 667 [128 Cal.Rptr.2d 358] (2002)
Marselis v. Allstate Ins. Co., 121 Cal.App.4th 122 [16 Cal.Rptr.3d 668] (2004)
Prieto v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., 225 Cal.App.3d 1188 [275 Cal. Rptr. 362] (1990)
Robinson v. National Auto. Etc. Ins. Co., 132 Cal.App.2d 709, 714-716 (1955)
Prudential-LMI Commercial Ins. v. Superior Court, 51 Cal.3d 674 [798 P. 2d 1230] (1990)
Steven v. Fidelity & Casualty Co., 58 Cal.2d 862 [377 P.2d 284] (1962)
Vu v. Prudential Property & Casualty Ins. Co., 26 Cal.4th 1142 [113 Cal.Rptr.2d 70] (2001)

Other Authorities

Cal. Ins. Code § 2071
29 U.S.C. §§ 1102 and 1104
Friedrich Kessler, The Contracts of Adhesion—Some Thoughts about Freedom of Contract Role of Compulsion in Economic Transactions Contract Role of Compulsion in Economic Transactions, 43 Columbia L. Rev. 629 (1943)

Blog post 4 (Next): Insured’s Duty to Establish Relevance and Nexus

Alabama

Ex parte First National Bank of Pulaski (S. Ct. Ala., 1999) 730 So.2d 1160
Ex Parte Henry (S. Ct. Ala., 2000) 770 So.2d 76
Ex parte John Alden Life Ins. Co. (S. Ct. Ala., 2008) 999 So.2d 476
Ex Parte O’Neal (S. Ct. Ala., 2000) 713 So.2d 956
Ex Parte Union Security Life Ins. Co. (S. Ct. Ala., 2000) 773 So.2d 461
Ex parte Union Security Life Ins. Co. (S .Ct. Ala., 1998) 723 So.2d 34
Graham & Co., LLC v. Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co. (N.D. Al., Apr. 5, 2016) 2016 WL 1319697

Arizona

Adams v. Symetra Life Ins. Co. (D. Ariz., Mar. 17, 2020) 2020 WL 1275721
Adams v. Symetra Life Ins. Co. (D. Ariz., Nov. 3, 2020) 2020 WL 6469949
Coffou v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am. (D. Ariz., Mar. 11, 2020) 2020 WL 1502104
Demer v. IBM Corp. LTD Plan (9th Cir., 2016) 835 F.3d 893
Franklin v. Hartford Life and Accident Ins. Co. (D. Ariz., Dec. 7, 2023) 2023 WL 8481407
James River Ins. Co. v. Thompson (D. Ariz., Oct. 13, 2021) 2021 WL 4805328
James River Ins. Co. v. Thompson (D. Ariz., Dec. 6, 2021) 2021 WL 5771148
Kip Jones v. Life Ins. Co. of N.A. (D. Ariz., 2020) 457 F.Supp.3d 751

California

Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Superior Court (1985) 167 Cal.App.3d 737 (depub.)
Albert D. Seeno Construction Company v. Aspen Ins. UK Ltd (N.D. Cal., Jan. 17, 2019) 2019 WL 13439001
Armas v. USAA Casualty Ins. Co. (N.D. Cal., 2019) 2019 WL 1501578
Bagramyan v. Gov’t Employees Ins. Co. (Cal. Ct. App., July 20, 2023) 2023 WL 4636118
Beal v. Marsh & McLennan Companies Pers. Acc. Ins. Plan (C.D. Cal., Dec. 3, 2010) 2010 WL 5136041
Bresk v. Unimerica Ins. Co. (E.D. Cal., Nov. 16, 2017) 2017 WL 10439831
Bronner v Unum Life Ins. Co. of America (N.D. Cal., Jan. 30, 2009) 2009 WL 248175
Brzezinski v. Allstate Ins. Co. (S.D. Cal., Aug. 28, 2012) 2012 WL 12869522
Bumpus v. U.S. Financial Life Ins. Co. (E.D. Cal., Aug. 4, 2023) 2023 WL 5002935
Cardiner v. Provident Life & Acc. Ins. Co. (C.D. Cal., 2001) 158 F.Supp.2d 1088
Chacko v. AT&T Umbrella Benefit Plan No. 3 (E.D. Cal., Apr. 27, 2020) 2020 WL 1984171
Colonial Life & Accident Ins. Co. v. Superior Court (1982) 31 Cal.3d 785
Dimry v. Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Players Retirement Plan (N.D. Cal., Apr. 14, 2020) 2020 WL 1865192
Dobro v. Allstate Ins. Co. (S.D. Cal., 2016) 2016 WL 4595149
Eastman v. Allstate Ins. Co. (S.D. Cal., Jul. 15, 2015) 2015 WL 4393287
Eisner v. Prudential Ins. Co. of Am. (N.D. Cal., May. 3, 2013) 2013 WL 10903701
Elkin v. New York Life Ins. Co. (C.D. Cal., Sep. 8, 2017) 2017 WL 4047235
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Long Term Disability Plan (N.D. Cal., Jul. 14, 2010) 2010 WL 2803105
Fashion Nova LLC v. Citizens Ins. Co. of America (C.D. Cal., Nov. 8, 2023) 2023 WL 8872092
Hangarter v. Provident Life and Acc. Ins. Co. (9th Cir., 2004) 373 F.3d 998
Holland-Hewitt v. Allstate Life Ins. Co. (E.D. Cal., 2022) 343 F.R.D. 154
In re Ins. Installment Fee Cases (2012) 211 Cal.App.4th 1395
Klein v. Northwestern Mut. Life Ins. Co. (S.D. Cal., 2011) 806 F.Supp.2d 1120
Lee v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Long Term Disability Plan (N.D. Cal., Jul. 14, 2010) 2010 WL 2803105
Leung v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of America (S.D. Cal., Jun. 15, 2023) 2023 WL 4056041
Mead Reinsurance Co. v. Superior Court (1986) 188 Cal.App.3d 313, 317
Micron Technology, Inc. v. Factory Mutual Ins. Co. (N.D. Cal., Aug. 3, 2022) 2022 WL 3083713
Moore v. American United Life Ins. Co. (1984) 150 Cal.App.3d 610, 621
Paolo v. Amco Ins. Co. (N.D. Cal., Sep. 17, 2003) 2003 WL 24027877
Permanent General Assur. v. Superior Court (2004) 122 Cal.App.4th 1493 (depub.)
Sakata v. Superior Court (Cal. Ct. App., Apr. 22, 2011) 2011 WL 1522522
Shapiro v. Paul Revere Life Ins. Co. (N.D. Cal., Sep. 18, 1997) 1997 WL 601430
Van Duyn v. American Securities Ins. Co. (C.D. Cal., Apr. 14, 2009) 2009 WL 10672575
Whalen v. Standard Ins. Co. (C.D. Cal., Apr. 14, 2009) 2009 WL 1054923
Wojno v. Cigna Grp. Ins. (C.D. Cal., Jul. 21, 2011) 2011 WL 3236025
Worth Bargain Outlet v AMCO Ins. Co. (S.D. Cal., Mar. 24, 2010) 2010 WL 11508880

Colorado

Bryant v. Dillon Real Estate Co. (D. Colo., Aug. 20, 2019, No. 18-cv-00479-PAB-MEH)
Douponce v. Drake (D. Colo., 1998) 183 F.R.D. 565

Connecticut

Tucker v. Am. Int’l Grp. (D. Conn., Mar. 2, 2012) 2012 WL 685461
Young v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co. (D. Conn., Feb. 16, 1999) 1999 WL 301688

District of Columbia

Carey-Canada, Inc. v. California Union Ins. Co. (D.D.C., 1986) 118 F.R.D. 242
Independent Petrochemical Corp. v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. (D.D.C., 1986) 117 F.R.D. 283
J.C. Associates v. Fidelity & Guarantee Ins. Co. (D.D.C., May. 25, 2006) 2006 WL 1445173

Delaware

Nat’l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pitts., Pa. v. Stauffer Chem. Co. (Super. Ct., 1989) 558 A.2d 1091

Florida

Mayfair House Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp. (S.D. Fla., Feb. 5, 2010) 2010 WL 472827

Georgia

Southard v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. (S.D. Ga., Jun. 14, 2012) 2012 WL 2191651

Hawaii

Am. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Haw. Nut & Bolt, Inc. (D. HI, Jan. 9, 2017) 2017 WL 80248
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Corp. v. Affiliated FM Ins. Co. (D. HI, May. 1, 2009) 2009 WL 1227850

Idaho

Bryant v. Cont’l Sur. Co. (D. Idaho, Feb. 17, 2015) 2015 WL 672314
Cedillo v. Farmers Ins. Co. (S. Ct. Id., 2017) 163 Idaho 131 [408 P.3d 886]

Illinois

Braun v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. of America (N.D. Ill, Dec. 16, 2022) 2022 WL 17740459

Indiana

Allstate Ins. Co. v. Scroghan (Ind. Ct. App., 2006) 851 N.E.2d 317
Cummins, Inc. v. Ace Am. Ins. Co. (S.D. Ind., Jan. 14, 2011) 2011 WL 130158
Nat’l Union Fire Ins. Co. v. Mead Johnson & Co. (S.D. Ind., Mar. 10, 2014) 2014 WL 931947

Kentucky

Grange Mut. Ins. Co. v. Trude (S. Ct. Ky., 2004) 151 S.W.3d 803
Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. v. Troxell (S. Ct. Ky., 1997) 959 S.W.2d 82

Louisiana

Brown v. Bush (La. Ct. App., 1998) 724 So.2d 762
Rowe v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. (La. Ct. App., 1996) 670 So.2d 718

Maryland

North River Ins. Co. v. Mayor & City Council of Baltimore (S. Ct. Md., 1996) 343 Md. 34, 680 A.2d 480

Maine

Achorn v. Prudential Ins. Co. of Am. (D. Maine, Sep. 25, 2008) 2008 WL 4427159

Missouri

Sunnen Prods. Co. v. Travelers Cas. & Sur. Co. of Am. (E.D. Mo., Feb. 25, 2010) 2010 WL 743633

Montana

Capers v. One Beacon Ins. Co. (D. Mont., Jun. 13, 2008) 2008 WL 11347702
Nei v. Travelers Home and Marine Ins. Co. (D. Mont., 2018) 326 F.R.D. 652
Pac. Hide & Fur Depot v. Great Am. Ins. Co. (D. Mont., Jul. 31, 2013) 2013 WL 11029340

North Carolina

Parkdale Am., LLC v. Travelers Cas. & Sur. Co. (W.D. N.C., Oct. 20, 2007) 2007 WL 3237720

Nebraska

Boles v. Unum Life Insurance Company of America (D. Neb., Jan. 22, 2013) 2013 WL 1079016
State ex rel. Acme Rug Cleaner, Inc. v. Likes (S. Ct. Neb., 1999) 588 N.W.2d 783

New Jersey

Nestle Foods Corp. v. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. (D. N.J., 1990) 135 F.R.D. 101

Nevada

Abueg v. State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co. (D. Nev., Oct. 30, 2014) 2014 WL 5503114
McCall v. State Farm Mut. Ins. Co. (D. Nev., Jul. 26, 2017) 2017 WL 3174914
Phillips v. Clark County. Sch. Dist. (D. Nev., Jan. 18, 2012) 2012 WL 135705
Siegfried v. LOYA Ins. Co. (D. Nev., Nov. 1, 2021) 2021 WL 5054646
Torgerson v. State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co. (D. Nev., Feb. 7, 2023) 2023 WL 843452

New York

Diamond State Ins. Co. v. Utica First Ins. Co. (1st Dept., 2007) 37 A.D.3d 160
Maryland Casualty v. W.R. Grace (S.D.N.Y., 1986) 83 Civ. 7451
Stonewall Insurance Co. v. National Gypsum Co. (S.D.N.Y., Mar. 21, 1988) 1988 WL 96159
Zurich Am. Ins. Co. v. Ace Am. Reinsurance Co. (S.D.N.Y., Nov. 22, 2006) 2006 WL 3771090

Ohio

Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corp. v. Allstate Ins. Co. (Ohio Misc., 1993) 660 N.E.2d 765
Poneris v. Pa. Life Ins. Co. (S.D. Ohio, Oct. 18, 2007) 2007 WL 3047232
Way, Int’l v. Exec. Risk Indem., Inc. (S.D. Ohio, Jan. 27, 2009) 2009 WL 3157402

Oklahoma

AG Equip Co. v. AIG Life Ins. Co. (N.D. Ok, Dec. 10, 2008) 2008 WL 5205192
Broadway Park LLC v. The Hartford Cas. Ins. Co. (W.D. Ok., Aug. 9, 2006) 2006 WL 2321410
Cudd Pressure Control, Inc. v. New Hampshire Ins. Co. (W.D. Ok., Feb. 6, 2014) 2012 WL 2359962
Fullbright v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. (W.D. Ok., Jan. 15, 2010) 2010 WL 273690
Grove v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. (N.D. Ok, Sep. 22, 2014) 2014 WL 11636148
Unit Rig & Equipment Co. v. East (S. Ct. Ok., 1973) 514 P.2d 396

Pennsylvania

Mine Safety Appliances Co. v. North River Ins. Co. (W.D. Pa., Sep. 18, 2012) 2012 WL 4339097
PECO Energy Co. v. Ins. of N.A. (Pa. Super. Ct., 2004) 852 A.2d 1230
Rhone Poulenc Rorer, Inc. v. Home Indemnity Co. (E.D. Pa., May. 7, 1991) 20 F.R.Serv.3d 1479
Saldi v. Paul Revere Life Ins. Co. (E.D. Pa., 2004) 224 F.R.D. 169
Small v. Provident Life and Accident Insurance Co. (E.D. Pa., Dec. 8, 1999) 1999 WL 1128945

South Dakota

Clark v. UNUM Group (D. S.D., Sep. 10, 2021) 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 172083

Tennessee

Westport Ins. Corp. v. Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. (W.D. Tenn., 2009) 264 F.R.D. 368

Texas

Aztec Life Ins. Co. of Texas v. Dellana (Tex. Ct. App. 1984) 667 S.W. 2d 911
Hussey v. State Farm Lloyds Insurance Co. (E.D. Tex., 2003) 216 F.R.D. 591
In re Deere & Co. (S. Ct. Tex., 2009) 299 S.W.3d 819

Vermont

Kelly v. Provident Life and Accident Ins. Co. (D. Vt., Aug. 17, 2010) 2010 WL 3259997

West Virginia

Herbalife Int’l, Inc. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co. (N.D. W.Va., Sep. 22, 2006) 2006 WL 2715164
Paull Assocs. Realty, LLC v. Lexington Ins. Co. (N.D. W.Va., Jan. 9, 2015) 2014 WL 12596397
State ex rel. W. Va. Fire & Cas. Co. v. Karl (S. Ct. W.Va., 1998) 505 S.E.2d 210

Other Authorities

Claims Procedure for Plans Providing Disability Benefits, Final Rule by the Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, 81 Fed. Reg. 92316 (Dec. 16, 2016), and related comment letter nos. 76 (UNUM, Jan. 19, 2016), 92 (The NFL Player Disability & Neurocognitive Benefit Plan, Jan. 19, 2016), and 170 (CIGNA, Dec. 11, 2017)]