Washington Personal Lines – 2020 Year in Review

Smith Freed Eberhard partners Josh Hayward and Melanie Rose discuss significant cases of the past year in Washington, with a focus on Personal Lines claims management.

Why Watch This Webinar?

This webinar is designed for claims professionals and provides a basic overview of significant cases over the last year and their impact on Personal Lines claims management. This webinar will prepare you to handle claims in Washington touching on: wrongful death; bad faith; Washington’s Made Whole Doctrine; UIM Coverage; and other topics.

Key Points Presented Include:

• (RCW 4.24.010) Changes wrongful death statute to significantly expand ability of parents to file suit after their child dies.
• (WAC 284-30-770) Requires insurers to inform insureds that they may seek guidance from state insurance regulators if insurer takes certain adverse actions.
• (Keodalah v. Allstate) Determines that bad faith claims against individual employee adjusters cannot proceed.
• (Grp. Health Coop. v. Coon) Discusses that settlement for less than policy limits does not create presumption that insured has been “made whole.”
• (Thompson v. Progressive Direct) Finds that UIM coverage does not have to be extended to a third party with a liability claim against the same vehicle.