In a recent case in the Fifth Circuit, a retail merchant sought to establish that its D&O insurer was required to provide a defense to a data breach-related claim that had been brought against the merchant. The appellate court held that the trial court erred in granting the insurer’s motion for judgment on the pleadings and ruling that the policy’s contractual liability exclusion precluded coverage. The ruling, which suggests at least the possibility of coverage under the D&O policy for at least some of the claims against the merchant, raises a number of important issues, as discussed below. The Fifth Circuit’s June 25, 2018 opinion in the case can be found here. A July 11, 2018 memo from the Crowell & Moring law firm about the decision can be found here.
Continue Reading Fifth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Data Breach Coverage Suit Against D&O Insurer