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Zelle Coronavirus Insurance Webinar Series

Analyzing Policy Terms and Conditions in the Wake of the Pandemic
April 2020
Zelle LLP invites you to join us for a series of webinars featuring corinavirus-related insurance topics that are of critical importance to adjusters and insurance professionals. All webinars will be offered free of charge. Continuing education credits will not be offered.

Registration instructions:

Each webinar requires separate registration.

Though there is no charge to attend, registration via the registration links below is required. Your registration will be reviewed by the webinar host and you will receive confirmation after your registration has been approved.

We are pleased that so many in the industry are registering for these webinars. If registrations for a particular webinar exceed our platform’s capacity, we will look to present that webinar again later this Spring.

Friday, March 27, 2020; 10:00-11:00 a.m. CST; 16:00-17:00 GMT 

Commercial Property Insurance Coverage and Coronavirus 

Presenters:  Kristin Cummings and Shannon O'Malley

This webinar will provide an overview of the key property insurance coverage issues we have identified to date. We will discuss the potential policy terms and provisions that may impact coverage for claims arising out of coronavirus. The webinar will include discussion of the requirement of physical loss or damage, relevant exclusions and coverage grants, and business interruption coverage. We will also discuss practical considerations, including best practices for responding to and investigating these claims, information that should be requested by the adjustment team, and other issues that may arise for adjusters and insurers handling these claims. 

Thursday, April 2, 2020; 10:00-11:00 a.m. CST; 16:00-17:00 GMT

Coronavirus Claims: Potential CBI Coverage and Quantum Issues

Presenter: Dan Millea

This webinar highlights the impact a catastrophe of any nature, including the current coronavirus pandemic, can have on an insured's upstream and downstream customer and supply chains, considers examples of contingent business interruption (“CBI”) policy language and limitations, and outlines the coverage and quantum questions that may arise. Our discussion will begin with a broad introduction to potential CBI coverage and quantum issues, and then focus on the potential implications the coronavirus pandemic may have on CBI claims. 

Tuesday, April 7, 2020; 10:00-11:00 a.m. CST; 16:00-17:00 GMT

Do CGL Policies Provide Coverage for Coronavirus Claims and/or Lawsuits?

Presenters:  Kristin Suga Heres and Seth Jackson

This webinar will explore whether Commercial General Liability insurance (CGL) policies may respond to lawsuits filed against restaurants, cruise lines, nursing homes, airlines, ride-sharing services, and a variety of other businesses arising out of the coronavirus pandemic. We will examine key coverage issues including whether such claims articulate a triggering “accident” or “occurrence” and the potential application of various exclusions, including the pollution exclusion and communicable disease exclusion.

Thursday, April 9, 2020; 10:00-11:00 a.m. CST; 16:00-17:00 GMT

How will EPLI Policies Respond to Coronavirus Claims?

Presenters:  Lindsey Davis and Elizabeth Kniffen

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread throughout the world, employers are likely to face claims from their current, furloughed, and former employees arising from issues related to the coronavirus. Employers, in turn, are likely to tender these claims to their employment practices liability insurance (“EPLI”) carriers. This webinar examines the potential coronavirus-related claims employers may make under their EPLI policies and considers whether and how such policies will respond. 

Tuesday, April 14, 2020; 10:00-11:00 a.m. CST; 16:00-17:00 GMT

Time Element Measurement Issues - Coronavirus

Presenters:  James Chin and Matthew Gonzalez

This webinar will discuss some of the issues and challenges in measuring time element losses for coronavirus claims. The discussion will include legal issues involving the period of restoration, actual loss sustained, mitigation and make-up, and extended period of indemnity. 

Wednesday, April 15, 2020; 10:00-11:00 a.m. CST; 16:00-17:00 GMT

Coronavirus and Event Cancellation Policies—Coverage Issues and Outlook

This webinar focuses on coverage issues insurance professionals and practitioners may face as they navigate the myriad of claims arising out of the current coronavirus health crisis. We will focus on pertinent policy provisions in event cancellation wordings, relevant adjustment issues, and possible wording solutions. In doing so, we will explore the current state of relevant case law in the United States. Recognizing that the crisis is ongoing and may last for an extended period of time, we will explore resultant issues that could arise in the near future that those in the event industry should consider.  

Thursday, April 16, 2020; 10:00-11:00 a.m. CST; 16:00-17:00 GMT

Construction Delays and Coronavirus

Presenter: Nick Dolejsi

The coronavirus will likely cause delays to construction schedules for a variety reasons, such as unusual delays in deliveries resulting from disruption of the global supply chain, work stoppages resulting from government orders, or work stoppages necessary for the safety and wellness of workers, among others. This webinar will discuss the factors relevant to determining which parties may bear the risk for these delays as between owners, contractors, subcontractors, and their insurers. 

Tuesday, April 21, 2020; 10:00-11:00 a.m. CST; 16:00-17:00 GMT

Civil Authority Coverage for Coronavirus Claims

This webinar will provide an overview of the key issues that may impact insureds’ attempts to obtain coverage for lost income as a result of coronavirus. We will discuss relevant policy terms and conditions and how they may impact coverage. We will also discuss the need for physical loss or damage to property other than insured property, whether the local and state orders being issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic will trigger coverage and whether the orders actually prohibit access to insured property. We will also examine the current lawsuits that have been brought seeking coverage for coronavirus losses. Finally, we will address practical considerations for insurers as they investigate these claims.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020; 10:00-11:00 a.m. CST; 16:00-17:00 GMT

Square Peg/Round Hole – Why COVID-19 Coverage Disputes Don’t Fit the Template for Class Actions and MDLs


Presenters: James R. Martin and Dan Millea


The COVID-19 coverage litigation barrage has begun. Plaintiffs’ lawyers across the country have identified disputed COVID-19 business interruption claims as the next big “mass-tort” litigation exposure.  Every day brings news of another putative class action against insurers. And now plaintiffs are seeking to create a nationwide MDL to put all business interruption coverage litigation under the umbrella of a single judge.  

The only thing certain right now is years of litigation.

Zelle antitrust complex litigation partner James R. Martin and insurance coverage partner Dan Millea will discuss the current status of these class actions and MDL proceedings. They will explore the arguments both for and against class action and MDL treatment. They will advise why class actions and MDLs are the square pegs that do not necessarily fit in the round hole of COVID-19 related commercial property insurance disputes. 
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