Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 14 OCTOBER 2026

Ten Judgments, One Playbook: What Insurers Need To Know About US Coverage Trends

Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams
Contributor
Adams & Adams

Adams & Adams

Who we are: Established in 1908, Adams & Adams is an internationally recognised and leading African...

View firm profile
Explore more from Adams & Adams

Partner Jean-Paul Rudd of Adams & Adams has analysed ten pivotal US insurance judgments that clarify how courts interpret policy language, apply exclusions, and establish indemnity boundaries. These cases reveal critical principles governing consent-to-settle provisions, contextual reading of exclusions, and coverage triggers that shape modern insurance disputes.

South AfricaInsurance
Jean-Paul Rudd
Jean-Paul Rudd
Author LinkedIn connections

Over the past few months, Jean-Paul Rudd, Partner at Adams & Adams, has unpacked ten US judgments shaping how courts read policy wording, apply exclusions and define the limits of indemnity. From consent-to-settle risk to contextual interpretation of exclusions, this collection distils the principles insurers need on their radar.

Insurance coverage disputes often turn on the precise construction of policy wording, the application of exclusions and the scope of an insurer’s obligations. This serious looks beyond the outcome of each US judgement to unpack the legal principle at work, and why it matters when assessing coverage disputes here.

Explore the articles below to see how courts are interpreting coverage, where the limits of indemnity are being drawn, and the issues that can determine whether cover responds.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

More Than A Name And Number - The Hidden FAIS Risk In Referral Fees

A recent South African court judgment has raised fundamental questions about when lead generation and referral arrangements in financial services cross the line into regulated intermediary activity. The case examined whether performance-based remuneration structures and marketing activities linked to insurance policy conclusions trigger licensing requirements under FAIS, with significant implications for enforceability.
South AfricaInsurance
ENS
ENS
Article

Frozen Accounts And Fraudulent Funds: Navigating The Rights Of Banks, Customers And SARS

A South African High Court has ruled on the lawfulness of account freezing by banks based on fraud suspicions and affirmed SARS's authority to issue third-party notices under section 179 of the Tax Administration Act. The case arose after a close corporation fraudulently claimed a VAT refund of R3.28 million, transferred R900,000 to an individual's account, prompting the bank to freeze the account and SARS to pursue recovery through a third-party notice.
South AfricaTax
Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams
Article

Constitutional Court Delivers Landmark But Incomplete Copyright Ruling. Parliament Must Now Seize The Opportunity To Modernise South Africa’s Copyright Law For The AI Era

South Africa's Constitutional Court has delivered a landmark ruling on the Copyright Amendment Bill, upholding the controversial shift to 'fair use' while striking down broad educational exceptions for textbook copying. The judgment leaves critical questions unresolved about contract terms, ministerial powers, and the Bill's complete silence on generative AI—creating both constraints and opportunities as Parliament must now revisit legislation conceived over a decade ago.
South AfricaIntellectual Property
Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams
Article

Nigeria Clarifies Copyright Ownership Of Musical Works

A Nigerian Federal High Court has ruled on a high-stakes copyright dispute over the globally acclaimed gospel song "Way Maker," examining whether a music producer's technical contributions to a recording constitute co-authorship. The judgment clarifies the critical distinction between creative authorship and production services in determining copyright ownership. This decision carries significant implications for how the music industry documents and allocates rights between artists and technical contributor
NigeriaIntellectual Property
Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams
Article

Contractual Liability Exclusion Must Be Assessed Against Each Cause Of Action Separately, Not Applied Wholesale Where Multiple Claims Are Pleaded In One Action

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals examined whether a directors' and officers' liability policy's contractual liability exclusion could bar coverage for an entire multi-count lawsuit, or whether each legally distinct cause of action—breach of contract, fraud, and quantum meruit—must be assessed separately against the exclusion's terms. The decision addresses the critical question of how insurers must apply policy exclusions when a single complaint pleads multiple claims arising from the same und
United StatesInsurance
Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams