Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Courts Strictly Construing Cyber Insurance Policies, Finding Coverage Is Narrow

By Ella Shenhav and Eric S. Adams
November 01, 2022

In several recent cases, companies with cyber insurance discovered that provisions in these policies led their insurers to limit coverage. Courts have been strictly construing cyber policies, and have found that the coverage provided is narrow. These decisions hinged upon whether an event constituted a covered "direct" loss and whether intervening actions precluded coverage, like an employee responding to fraudulent communications.

In February 2021, a Texas federal court determined that a payment processor for rental property management companies was not covered for losses from a phishing event. See, RealPage v. National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, Case No. 3:19-cv-1350-B, United States District Court, Northern District of Texas (Feb. 24, 2021). Hackers used a fishing scam to gain access to funds held by RealPage's third-party payment processor, Stripe. RealPage made a business decision to reimburse its clients. The policy required that RealPage "hold" funds as a prerequisite to coverage for any funds stolen through cyber fraud. The insurer denied the claim because, while RealPage could direct the transfer of those funds in the Stripe accounts, RealPage never "held" the funds that were lost.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The Bankruptcy Hotline Image

Recent cases of importance to your practice.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

How AI Has Affected PR Image

When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.