Insurance Law Class Syllabus

Professor Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

Spring 2008

 

January 22, 2008

THE ESSENCE OF RISK

What is Insurance?

GAF Corp. v. County School Board (pp.8-10)

Notes (pp. 10-13)

Nature of the Insurance Relationship

Rawlings v. Apodaca (pp.13-17)

Edwin W. Patterson, Essentials of Insurance Law (pp.17-18)

Notes (pp. 18-20)

Introduction (p. 21)

Risk and the Insurance Contract

Deschler v. Fireman's Fund American Life Insurance (pp.21-24)

Notes (p.24-27)

Text (pp. 27-41) (recommended)

January 29, 2008

FUNDAMENTAL ASSUMPTIONS

Fortuity

Compagnie Des Bauxites, v. North America (pp. 43-46)

Notes (pp. 46-50)

Insurable Interests

Robert H. Jerry, II, Understanding Insurance Law (pp. 59-62) (recommended)

Snethen v. Oklahoma State Union of Famers (pp. 62-66)

Brewton v. Alabama Farm Bureau Mutual Casualty Ins. Co. (pp. 66-67)

Notes 1-3, 9 (pp. 67-71)

Beard v. American Agency Life Ins. Co., 314 Md. 235 (1988) .

Review Maryland Insurance Administration Home Page

February 5, 2008

Guest Speaker Ralph Tyler

Personal Insurance

Mutual Saving Life Insurance v. Noah (pp. 72-77)

Introduction to Indemnity (pp. 92-93)

Valuation of Loss

Elberton Bathing Co. v. Ambassador Ins. Co. (pp. 93-98)

Doelger & Kirsten v. Nat. Union Fire Ins. Co. (pp. 98-102)

Notes 1-4 (pp.126-127)

February 12, 2008

REGULATION

An Overview of State Legislation and Administrative Regulation (pp. 171-184)

Notes (pp. 184-187)

Warranties

Vlastos v. Sumitomo Marine & Fire Ins. Co. (pp. 191-195)

Note 1 (pp. 195-196)

February 19, 2008

Misrepresentation of a Warranty

Berger v. Minnesota Mutual Life Ins. Co. (pp. 200-203)

Mutual Benefit Life Ins. Co. v. JMR Electrics Corp. (pp. 203-204)

Waxse v. Reserve Life Ins. Co. (p. 204)

Notes 4 & 6 (pp. 206-208)

The Limits of Regulation

Omaha Sky Divers Parachute Club Inc. v. Ranger Ins. Co. (pp. 217-219)

Notes (pp. 219-221)

In the Matter of Mostow v. State Farm Ins. Co. (pp. 233-235)

March 4, 2008

Waiver, Estoppel, and Election

Republic Ins. Co. v. Silerton Elevators, Inc. (pp. 243-247)

The Insured's Reasonable Expectations

Clark Peterson Co. Ins. v. Independent Insurance Associates (pp. 254-258)

Notes 1, 2 & 4 (pp. 258-259)

Parole Evidence

Taylor v. State Farm Mutual Auto Ins. Co. (pp. 272-276)

Notes 2 & 3 (p. 277-278)

Maryland on Parole Evidence and Contract Interpretation

Pacific Indemnity Co. v. Interstate Fire & Casualty Co., 302 Md. 383, 388, 488 A.2d 486, 488 (1985)

March 25, 2008

FIRST PARTY COVERAGE

Introduction (pp. 279-280)

Life Insurance

Crobons v. Wisconsin Nat. Life Ins. Co. (pp. 280-284)

Uniform Determination of Death Act (pp. 284-286)

Notes 2 & 4 (pp. 286-287)

Nielsen v. Provident Life & Accident Ins. Co. (pp. 287-290)

Notes 1 & 6 (p. 290, p. 292)

Crawford v. Equitable Life Assurance Society (pp. 292-303)

Lemke v. Schwarz (pp. 303-306)

Appendix G (glace over, in back of textbook)

Note 3

Prudential Ins. Co. of America v. Athmer (pp. 316-321)

INA Life Insurance v. Brundin (pp. 335-342)

Notes (pp. 342-346)

April 1, 2008

Disability Insurance

Shapiro v. Berkshire Life Ins. Co. (pp. 361-364)

Prudence Life Insurance Co. (pp. 365-367)

Note 9 (pp. 371-372)

Health Insurance

Connecticut General Life Ins. Co. v. Shelton (pp. 391-398)

Fuller v. CBT Corp. (pp. 400-402)

Note 1 (p. 402)

Bullwinkel v. New England Mutual Life Ins. Co. (p. 412-416)

Note 1 (pp. 417)

Sarchett v. Blue Shield of California (pp. 419-427)

Notes 1 & 2 (p. 427)

Property Insurance

Engle v. Redwood County Famers Mutual Ins. Co. (pp. 428-431)

Youse v. Employers' Fire Ins. Co. (pp. 431-433)

Introduction to Third-Party Coverages and Recurring Issues (pp. 535-537)

Stanley v. American Fire Casualty Co. (p. 537-540)

Notes 1, 6 and 7 (pp. 540-543) (for Note 7, refer to Appendix C in back of your text)

April 8, 2008

THIRD PARTY COVERAGE

Homeowner's Insurance

AMCO Ins. Co. v. Haht (pp. 545-550)

Nationwide Insurance v. Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois (pp. 550-552)

The Nature of Coverage (pp. 578-579)

The Insuring Agreement (p. 579)

CGL Policies

Gatx Leasing Corp. v. National Union Fire Insurance (pp. 580-585)

Montrose Chemical Corp. v. Admiral Insurance Co. (pp. 597-609)

Notes 1-5 (pp. 609-610)

April 15, 2007

Punitive Damages

First Bank (N.A.)- Billings v. Transamerica Ins. Co. (p.667-673)

AUTO INSURANCE

Introduction to Auto Insurance: Common Coverages and Recurring Ideas (pp. 695-697)

Maryland Transportation Code § 17-103

McNeill v. Maryland Ins. Co. Guaranty Association (pp. 697-701)

DeJarnette v. Federal Kemper Ins. Co., 299 Md. 708 (1984).

Farm Bureau Mutual Ins. Co. v. Evans (pp. 702-703)

Notes (pp. 704-709)

Odum v. Nationwide Mutual Insurance (pp. 709-714)

Notes (pp. 714-717)

April 22,2006

Odlecki v. Hartford Accident Indemnity Co. (pp. 717-721)

Notes (pp. 721-722)

Close v. Ebertz (pp. 722-727)

Notes (pp. 727-730)

Liberty Mutual Ins. Co. American Employers Ins. Co. (pp. 730-733)

Notes (pp. 733-735)

Famers Ins. Co. v. USF&G, Co. (pp. 735-738)

Notes (pp. 738-739)

National County Mutual Fire Ins. Co. v. Johnson (pp. 739-746)

Notes (pp. 746-748)

In the Matter of Mostow v. State Farm Ins. Co. (pp. 233-235) (reread from Chapter 3)

Notes (pp. 748-750)

Erie Ins. Co. v. Thompson, 330 Md. 530 (1993)

McNeill v. Metropolitan Property Liability Ins. Co. (pp. 750-752)

Notes (pp. 752-753)

Security Mutual Casualty Co. v. Johnson (pp. 754-755)

Notes (pp. 755-756)

 

Grading:

50% Quizzes

25% PARTICIPATION (based solely on effort, preparation, quizzes and attendance)

25% Final Quiz