Category Focus
COVID-19 Resources for Insurance and Risk Management Professionals
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented Black Swan event that is testing the resilience of countries, economies, businesses, and societies. To help insurance and risk management professionals navigate this rapidly evolving coronavirus crisis, IRMI research analysts are analyzing policy provisions, monitoring state regulatory responses, and curating applicable content from our extensive library.
Expert Commentary Articles
Additional Articles
IRMI Podcast
Lessons from Disasters: Wildfires to COVID-19
What happens when the entire planet becomes a disaster area due to a pandemic? Rich Hallock, vice president of the Greenspan Company, discusses lessons learned from claims handling and elaborates on how working effectively in disaster areas like those caused by wildfires is normal for Greenspan; however, there's nothing normal about the impact of COVID-19.
COVID-19 and the Construction Industry
Gary Kaplan, president of AXA XL Construction, shares his perspective on how contractors and insurance companies are adapting regionally to COVID-19 and on the potential short- and long-term impacts of the prolonged pandemic on both the construction and insurance industries.
Report: Pandemic Strategies: Risk Management Lessons from the Ebola Crisis
This report explores the threats a pandemic poses to an organization, insurance coverage issues, loss control strategies, and how risk managers can learn from current crises to improve their organization's ability to weather future catastrophic events.
Testing, Exam, and CE Updates
IRMI subsidiary WebCE is tracking the latest updates regarding the following.
- Testing center closures for various licensing exams
- States waiving self-study exam proctor requirements for insurance professionals
- Renewal and CE due date extensions for insurance professionals
Subscription COVID-19 Resources
The links in this section highlight content that is available with a paid subscription. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact IRMI Customer Success or call us at (800) 827–4242.
First COVID Business Interruption Jury Trial: The Jury Got It Right
In the first-ever jury trial deciding whether COVID-19 losses are covered, the six jurors resoundingly found in favor of the insurance company. Insurance coverage disputes are usually considered matters of law, and therefore a judge, not a jury, decides whether coverage is invoked. Learn more about how the case ever got to a jury in the first place.
Coverage for COVID-19 Losses: Insurers Have Won the Battles, but Will They Win the War?
In trial courts across the nation, insurers have overwhelmingly won dismissals of COVID-19 business interruption coverage cases. However, the battleground for this massive number of coverage lawsuits is now moving to a new, more important stage—the appellate courts. It is in this arena that the war largely will be won or lost.
Hidden Trend in COVID Business Interruption Cases—Voluntary Dismissals
With all eyes on the unfolding court decisions regarding whether these massive COVID-19 losses will be covered by insurance, another trend is quietly emerging without much notice—voluntary dismissals. The reasoning behind this abandoning of their pursuit of coverage may be found in other trends.
COVID Business Interruption Coverage from the Insured's Point of View
Thousands of policyholders have made claims on their property insurance policies to recover business interruption losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This Insurance Law Essentials Deep Dive outlines some of the policyholders' strongest arguments in favor of coverage under "all risks" property insurance policies for business interruption losses.
Are Policyholders Really Winning COVID-19 Cases?
With the flurry of new court decisions, now is a good time to step back and study the arguments that are prevailing with the courts in this Insurance Law Essentials Deep Dive to really understand the seminal issues in this insurance dispute of epic proportions.
A Second Win for Insurers in BI Coverage for COVID-19 Loss
In this Insurance Law Essentials Deep Dive, commercial property insurers win again as a D.C. court holds that losses suffered from restaurant closures due to the pandemic are not covered. This is the second court ruling out of hundreds of business interruption (BI) lawsuits against insurers.
COVID-19 Business Interruption Cases
Insurance Law Essentials, a comprehensive online legal resources bundle, provides a dynamic overview of the business interruption cases in each state. IRMI is tracking these cases as they progress and providing access to the court pleadings and the important motions filed by each party.
- Link for IRMI Online subscribers
- Link for Vertafore ReferenceConnect subscribers
- Not a subscriber? Get your access now
Practical Risk Management
The July 2020 update of Practical Risk Management includes two articles in the Risk Management Notes newsletter that explore in depth these issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Is There Possible Cash Flow Relief in Insurance Premium Payments?
COVID-19 and Business Interruption Coverage
Commercial Property Insurance Online Reference
This comprehensive guide has recently been updated to include discussions of the optional endorsements made available by Insurance Services Office, Inc., in February 2020 in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The reference also includes in-depth analysis of key coverage provisions and the virus exclusion endorsement.
Subscribers to the Commercial Property Insurance in IRMI Online or Vertafore ReferenceConnect can access the links below.
Commercial Property Insurance Links
The Risk Report: Business Income Loss from the Coronavirus
IRMI looks at the question of coverage for coronavirus business income loss, focusing on analysis of the policy language and the related court cases. Current proposals to alleviate the tremendous loss of income caused by the pandemic are also addressed.
IRMI Workers Comp Online Reference
This reference now includes workers compensation and COVID-19 resources to assist with navigating the new normal for employers and their workers. Subscribers can access links to state legislative/regulatory initiatives directed at compensability, state workers compensation administrative organization COVID-19 content, and workers comp insurance regulator resources on COVID-19
COVID-19 Cancellations and Related Bulletins from Insurance Regulators
The individual state departments of insurance have the authority to set guidelines for canceling or nonrenewing insurance policies. With the spread and ramifications of the coronavirus (COVID-19), several state departments have issued directives regarding temporary regulations or grace periods for premium payment, cancellations, or nonrenewal notices. Below is a listing of the states that have issued bulletins applicable to temporary suspension of payments, cancellations, or nonrenewal of personal lines and commercial property and casualty insurance policies during the COVID-19 state of emergency.
Subscribers to Commercial Liability Insurance, Commercial Property Insurance, Commercial Auto Insurance, IRMI Workers Comp, and Personal Risk Management and Insurance can access a synopsis of each state's bulletins along with links to the full text. This information will be updated regularly and is available in IRMI Online or Vertafore ReferenceConnect.
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona |
| Arkansas | California | Colorado |
| Connecticut | Delaware | District of Columbia |
| Florida | Georgia | Hawaii |
| Idaho | Illinois | Indiana |
| Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana |
| Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts |
| Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi |
| Missouri | Montana | Nebraska |
| Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| New Mexico | New York | North Carolina |
| North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma |
| Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island |
| South Carolina | Tennessee | Texas |
| Utah | Vermont | Virginia |
| Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin |
Other COVID-19 Resources
The links in this section are to free third-party resources that we think you will find helpful and informative. These resources are not part of IRMI.com or IRMI subscription content.
Free Webinar–The Legalities of a Tough Situation: COVID-19
To help employers navigate the challenges presented by COVID-19 and new legislation, Don Phin, coeditor of IRMI's Employment Practices Liability Consultant (EPLiC), has put together an in-depth webinar with information, tips, and best practices on how employers can respond to the evolving legal landscape.
Zywave COVID-19 Resource Center
As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow, proactive education and communication with your clients is critical. Use these resources, created by Zywave's team of in-house experts, to help your brokerage and your clients navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
