The decision indicates that insurance companies do not have an independent route to CERCLA contribution and must work with their policyholders in seeking subrogation if and when appropriate. The case is Chubb Custom Ins. Co. v. Space Systems/Loral, Inc.; Ford Motor Co.; Sun Microsystems, Inc.; Chevron Corp.; and Harman Stevenson Inc., No. 11-16272.
The 2-1 decision held that the insurance company lacked standing to bring suit under CERCLA Section 107(a) because it did not incur "costs of response" related to removal or remediation of the polluted site, and because the common law principle of subrogation does not apply to Section 107(a). Claims under Section 112(c) were also barred because the insurance company [Chubb] did not allege that the policyholder was a "claimant," or that it made a claim under the Superfund or to another potentially liable party.
John G. Nevius, a shareholder in Anderson Kill & Olick's insurance recovery group, submitted an Amicus brief on behalf of United Policyholders and participated in oral arguments in the case on November 8, 2012. Kevin T. Haroff of Marten Law represented Ford Motor Company, and Robert C. Goodman of Rogers Joseph O'Donnell represented Chevron Corporation.
Mr. Nevius commented, "The decision is important because it prevents insurance companies from, among other things, providing minimal coverage and then using CERCLA contribution principles to off-set the liability which they accepted premiums to take on. Subrogation is an equitable principle based upon tort and wrongful behavior. Potentially Responsible Parties under CERCLA may or may not have been at fault with respect to how contamination came to be. Insurance companies do not always stand directly in the shoes of their policyholder PRPs and should be required to establish an equitable basis for subrogation rather than merely rely on the fact that some money was spent and take advantage of the complexities of CERCLA."
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Anderson Kill practices law in the areas of Insurance Recovery, Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law, Estate, Trusts and Tax Services, Corporate and Securities, Antitrust, Bankruptcy, Real Estate and Construction, Anti-Counterfeiting, Employment and Labor Law, Captives, Intellectual Property, Corporate Tax, Health Reform and International Business. Recognized nationwide by Chambers USA for Client Service and Commercial Awareness, and best-known for its work in insurance recovery, the firm represents policyholders only in insurance coverage disputes – with no ties to insurance companies and has no conflicts of interest. Clients include Fortune 1000 companies, small and medium-sized businesses, governmental entities, and nonprofits as well as personal estates. Based in New York City, the firm also has offices in Ventura, CA, Stamford, CT, Washington, DC, Newark, NJ and Philadelphia, PA.
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