Source: http://www.propertycasualty360.com, April 20, 2017 By: Eric Moon Every significant human-made structure throughout history has involved architecture and engineering. Some are memorable for their innovation and efficiency, while others are renowned for their inspiring design. Still others are remembered for a negative reason: catastrophic failure. Design failure is more than an occupational hazard for architects […]

Source: http://www.natlawreview.com, April 18, 2017 By: Rebecca Dow, Holland & Hart LLP When negotiating a construction contract with a general contractor (GC), the owner/developer should be aware of, and address, a number of issues to attempt to mitigate or limit the risk of construction defect litigation for a residential project, including multi-family and for-rent residential […]

Source: https://reactionsnet.com, April 17, 2017 Environmental liability claims above $1bn are becoming more commonplace but coverage for the peril is still lagging. According to Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), environmental damage can now cost insurers an average of €2.3m per claim. According to Matt O’Malley, president of North America environmental at XL Catlin, the […]

Source: http://www.insurancejournal.com, April 7, 2017 Although a slim majority of insurance companies providing architects and engineers professional liability insurance saw their rates stabilize in 2016, nearly one in three experienced modest decreases in rates. That’s according to a new survey by insurance broker Ames & Gough finds that market competition and favorable claim results are […]

Source: https://www.irmi.com, March 2017 By: Jeff Slivka, New Day Underwriting Managers LLC Responsibilities were clearly defined under the design-bid-build model that dominated the commercial construction industry over a decade ago. Today, the trend toward design-build, fast-tracking, and accelerated delivery methods—coupled with the desire to take on new projects requiring an expanded level of experience or […]

Source: http://www.lexology.com, March 7, 2017 By: W,. Gerald McElroy, Jr., Zelle LLP This article was first published in Insurance Law360. To read this article in PDF format, please click here. Environmental impairment liability (EIL) policies currently available in the market provide very broad coverage. Thus, an EIL policy may provide coverage for an insured’s owned site […]

Source: http://nj1015.com, March 31, 207 By: Michael Symons A 2011 earthquake in Virginia caused only minor damage in New Jersey, but led to water frequently infiltrating the basement of a Sayreville home — and the discovery that the property had long ago been contaminated by industrial chemicals. Since then, the state has spent hundreds of thousands […]

Source: http://www.businessinsurance.com, April 3, 2017 By: Judy Greenwald Insurers covering environmental exposures are getting worried about the growing number of mold claims, particularly in the hospitality sector, although the market overall remains competitive, experts say. Also of concern are environmental risks associated with development and redevelopment and petroleum pipeline-related risks, among others. In addition, some […]

Read here about a carbon monoxide lead at a hotel in Michigan that killed one and sickened others.

Source: http://www.constructionexec.com, March 30, 2017 By: Anthony Kammas Construction companies rarely consider that they may end up in court for performing work that damaged the environment, but it happens more frequently than contractors may think. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that construction contractors have a significantly high potential for contributing to environmental damages. The […]

Source: http://www.masslive.com, March 29, 2017 By: Jim Russell Pollution requiring clean-up at the former Belchertown State School property includes an apparent polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) “disposal site,” according to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. In a letter written by Eva Tor, deputy regional director of the DEP Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup, the state said […]

Source: http://nj1015.com, March 29, 2017 By: Dan Alexander Foam used by the military at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst has contaminated several water sources on and off the base, according to a report. The Air Force has been testing for perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), an unregulated chemical used to make a firefighting foam […]