From our signature insurance coverage practice to our insurance litigation and transactional services, WMF prides itself on providing high-quality legal representation to insurers and insurance entities doing business in California.

Insurance Coverage

WMF’s insurance coverage attorneys regularly provide advice and counsel to insurers regarding the application of commercial general liability; professional liability (errors and omissions); directors and officers liability; employment practices liability; and specialized liability coverage (including liability coverage for the life sciences; medical products; media; technology; financial; and real estate industries) in California’s complex and highly-regulated insurance environment. Our insurance coverage team is also well-versed in commercial property and personal lines insurance coverage issues, and we have longstanding experience serving as both supervising and local counsel in complex nationwide and worldwide coverage disputes touching upon the laws of multiple jurisdictions.

Insurance Litigation

Our insurance coverage team regularly represents insurance companies and other insurance entities in coverage litigation in California’s state and federal courts. In particular, we have amassed a great deal of experience representing insurers in:

• Complex coverage disputes including long-tail and related environmental claims;
• Contribution and indemnity claims among co-primary and excess carriers and others;
• Reimbursement claims (including reimbursement sought under Buss v. Superior Court (1997) 16 Cal.4th 35 and Scottsdale Ins. Co. v. MV Transportation (2005) 36 Cal.4th 643);
• The defense of breach-of-implied-covenant or “bad faith” claims, including complex bad faith claims asserted against commercial insurers; and
• The defense and resolution of claims regarding entitlement to independent (“Cumis”) counsel under California Civil Code section 2860, and the resolution of claims regarding the scope and extent of any such entitlement.

Insurance Transactional

WMF’s insurance practice group also has significant experience working with our insurance clients to meet their strategic and legal objectives outside of the litigation context. We work with insurers:

• To draft policy language responding to recent developments in the law or to changes in their underwriting needs;
• To respond to changes in the regulatory landscape, including changes to regulations promulgated by the California Department of Insurance; and
• To review claims adjustment practices to ensure compliance with California’s Insurance Code and its claims handling regulations.