Ehrlich Law Firm wins landmark insurance decision in California Supreme Court. A unanimous California Supreme Court held that a “severability of insurance” clause made a homeowner’s liability policy ambiguous where the insurer sought to rely on an exclusion that withdrew coverage for all insureds under the policy based on the intentional acts of one insured. Plaintiff Scott Minkler holds a $5 million judgment against David Schwartz, who molested him, and against David’s mother, Betty, for negligently failing to stop the wrongful conduct. Betty’s insurer rejected coverage, arguing that the intentional-acts exclusion in the policy, which withdrew coverage for any claim arising from the intentional acts of “an” insured, applied to the claims against Betty because David’s conduct was intentional. The Supreme Court adopted the approach advanced by the Ehrlich Law Firm, finding that the policy’s severability provision, which states that “this insurance applies separately to each insured” would lead a reasonable insured to conclude that he or she would be treated as the only insured under the policy. Because most liability policies have severability clauses, the Minkler case may substantially broaden coverage in California for failure-to-supervise claims. Minkler v. Safeco (2010) __ Cal.4th __.)

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