Litigation

A federal judge granted preliminary approval of a $72.5 million settlement between The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. and a class of more than 21,000 people who alleged the insurer underpaid personal injury and workers' compensation claims.

While employers and employment practices liability insurers are currently preoccupied with fears over wage-and-hour claims,

Issues surrounding the use of medical marijuana and social media are on a growing list of emerging employment practices liability topics, experts say.

An agreement has been reached to settle workers' claims against the World Trade Center Insurance Company for more than $712 million, a $125 million increase over a settlement nixed by a federal judge in March.

A federal court's order to American International Group to hand over more than 400,000 documents to insurers is the latest round in a three-year-old dispute over unpaid workers' compensation premiums that one insurer said amounts to more than $1 billion.

As the insurance industry embraces the use of social media as a marketing tool, it must consider risks that are unique to the insurance industry.

Expanding potential liability for employers and their employment practices insurers, the U.S. Supreme Court gave the green light to litigation involving the use of tests that have a disparate impact on a protected class.

Executives of W.R. Berkley said they would not hesitate to write coverage again for the operator of the oil rig that exploded in the Gulf last month, adding that increased prices and insurance requirements for operators could provide opportunities.