Course Descriptions
Insurance Coverage Best Practices | October 2026
Don’t miss Wilson Elser’s complimentary 2026 Insurance Coverage Best Practices
Designed for claims professionals and attorneys, this eight-part webinar series will explore essential coverage concepts, common issues throughout the claims process and best practices for handling claims effectively. Join one or all for valuable insights from Wilson Elser’s thought leaders.
OCTOBER 1, 1 PM ET
Your Work, Your Product, Your Problem? Understanding Business Risk Exclusions
John H. Podesta and Daron Stone
The CGL policy is not meant to cover every cost. In this session, we will trace the history of “business risk exclusions” ‒ Exclusions J through N and where courts have drawn the line between covered and uncovered amounts. Who pays what when an insured’s work, products, or operations go wrong?
OCTOBER 6, 1 PM ET
Indemnification of D&Os and Impact on Side A or Side B Coverage
James K. Thurston and Siobhán A. Mueller
This presentation will address the layered architecture of D&O programs, including policy limits, retentions, and the interplay among primary and excess carriers, as well as circumstances in which corporate indemnification may be unavailable, including derivative suit judgments, securities law violations, failure to meet statutory standards of conduct, financial inability, and wrongful refusal to indemnify.
OCTOBER 8, 1 PM ET
Practical Advice for Maintaining an Unimpeachable Claim File – File Management and Documentation
Nicholas D. Freeman and Katherine E. Tammaro
This presentation offers practical guidance on maintaining a claim file that will withstand the rigors of coverage and bad faith litigation. It addresses best practices for documenting a claim file throughout the claims process, including how to clearly and appropriately document coverage-related decisions and communications.
OCTOBER 13, 1 PM ET
Different Policies, Different Views: Dynamics of Negotiating Among Insurance Towers
Jonathan E. Meer and Thomas M. Spitaletto
This presentation addresses some of the policy language interpretation that can impact such negotiations, as well as negotiation dynamics and strategies for navigating differing insurer views and bringing insurers together toward an ultimate resolution of the underlying claim.
OCTOBER 15, 1 PM ET
Drafting Sound Coverage Position Letters to Avoid Waiver and Estoppel
Richard W. Boone, Jr. and Michael J. O’Malley
This presentation provides practical guidance for drafting clear, effective insurance coverage letters. It addresses how to identify and analyze relevant policy provisions, communicate coverage positions clearly, and draft reservation-of-rights and denial letters that preserve the insurer’s defenses while providing the insured with a meaningful explanation of the coverage determination.
OCTOBER 20, 1 PM ET
Handling UM/UIM Claims with Confidence: Coverage, Investigation, and Resolution Best Practices
Kirsten L. Curtis and Jane E. Young
This session provides a comprehensive overview of best practices for adjusting uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) claims. Topics include confirming coverage applicability, verifying the insured's status as a covered person, establishing the liability of the uninsured or underinsured tortfeasor, and evaluating damages.
OCTOBER 22, 1 PM ET
What Your Coverage Counsel Wants You to Know – But May Not Tell You
Dale S. Dobuler, Peter M. Moore, and Jessica Forbes
This session explores when external coverage counsel may be warranted, how counsel can support claims professionals beyond addressing disputed or questionable coverage, and ways to maximize counsel’s involvement to achieve the best outcomes. The discussion will also address how to clearly define coverage counsel’s role in matters involving disputed coverage and other coverage-related concerns. Claims professionals will come away with a better understanding of when and how to engage external coverage counsel, how to make effective use of counsel’s expertise, and how to work together efficiently throughout the claims handling process.
OCTOBER 27, 1 PM ET
Drawing the Line: Aligning Scope-of-Loss Disputes Right from the Start
Jennifer Martin and Graham R. Pulvere
This session offers claims professionals practical guidance for managing scope-of-loss disputes from day one. The presenters cover how to timely retain the right experts, ensure their assessments align with policy terms and definitions, critically evaluate competing reports, and build a well-supported claim file that can withstand scrutiny, including in appraisal.
