Bill

Bill > S557


NJ S557

Prohibits certain provisions in liability insurance policies.


summary

Introduced
01/09/2024
In Committee
01/09/2024
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2024-2025 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill prohibits an insurer from including in a liability insurance policy a provision that provides that the insurer will not be liable for any loss for any claim based upon the fact that the loss or claim is similar to any fact, circumstance, situation, transaction, event, or wrongful act underlying or alleged in a separate proceeding or claim. Certain insurance policies include provisions that state that the insurer will not be liable for any loss for any claim based upon or arising out of any same or substantially same or similar fact, circumstance, situation, transaction, event, wrongful act or related wrongful act underlying or alleged in such demand, suit, or other proceeding. In effect, such a provision allows the insurer to deny coverage based on the mere fact that a similar, but unrelated, event to the one being alleged in a claim may have occurred. For example, a medical malpractice insurer could attempt to deny coverage for an alleged claim of medical malpractice based upon a similar occurrence in an unrelated case. This bill is intended to prohibit such a provision, sometimes referred to as an "interrelated wrongful act clause" or "prior and pending proceeding clause," in liability insurance policies as it relates to a similar fact, circumstance, situation, transaction, event, or wrongful act underlying or alleged in a separate, unrelated proceeding or claim.

AI Summary

This bill prohibits liability insurance policies from including a provision that allows the insurer to deny coverage for a claim based solely on the fact that the claim is similar to a separate, unrelated proceeding or claim. This type of provision, known as an "interrelated wrongful act clause" or "prior and pending proceeding clause," effectively allows the insurer to deny coverage for a claim even if the current claim is not related to the previous one. The bill aims to prevent this practice, which could result in insurers denying coverage for legitimate claims simply because of a perceived similarity to an unrelated event.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee (on 01/09/2024)

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