This season is not special as hurricanes are a part of life on the east coast and gulf shores. From New York to Louisiana, just about every state has seen massive property loss from hurricanes during the past ten years. We often see harsh outcomes for those on the coast living in finished homes. What … Continue reading Contractors and Force Majeure: Contractual Protection from Hurricanes and Severe Weather
I often speak with prime contractors and owners who assure me that they require subcontractors to name them as additional insureds. This is the correct line of thinking as additional insured treatment is one of the key principals to adequately transfer the risk of construction defects or non property injury. The devil, as they say, … Continue reading Ongoing Operations and Completed Operations Coverage
Generally, a contractor can not be liable for installing a defective product which was unknown to be problematic, so long as there is no alteration of the product.
No Damage for Delay
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 rate decreases, according to a new survey by Ames & Gough. Despite intense competition, insurers are maintaining underwriting discipline and placing greater emphasis on claims experience. This year, 95 … Continue reading Insurance Market Leader Ames and Gough report Premium Price Decreases
In March, President Trump signed a joint resolution eliminating the rule, which had required bidders on federal projects with a value in excess of $500K to report state and federal labor and safety violations within the past three years. The Blacklisting rule, also known as the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order 13673, only … Continue reading Trump Order on BlacklistingÂ
The 4th Circuit, applying North Carolina law, recently concluded that an insurer had a duty to indemnify a policyholder for issues related to foundation design at a student housing project. Clancy & Theys was a general contractor and joint venture partner with another entity. To insure its liability as a partner or venturer in the … Continue reading Joint Venture Endorsement Covers Design Liability for General Contractor in Virginia (4th Circuit)
In the past, South Carolina mechanic’s lien law placed the prime contractor in a position akin to a lightning rod for various debt obligations owed by suppliers and subcontractors. Project subcontractors and suppliers to the GC could only collect on mechanics lien claims to the extent of the unpaid balance owed by the Owner to … Continue reading Notice of Project Commencement