Insurance Law Class Syllabus
Professor Ronald V. Miller, Jr.
Fall 2008
August 21, 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)
August 28, 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
September 4, 2008
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)
September 11, 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)
September 18, 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)
September 25, 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)
October 2, 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)
October 23, 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)
October 30, 2008
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)
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)
November 13, 2008
Guest speaker Ralph Tyler, Maryland Insurance Commissioner
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)
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)
November 20, 2008
Final quiz
Grading:
50% Quizzes
25% PARTICIPATION (based solely on effort, preparation, quizzes and attendance)
25% Final Quiz
