Preserver Ins. Co. v. Ryba
This case involves a dispute between two insurers, Preserver Insurance Company and Northern Assurance Company of America, regarding the scope of an employers' liability policy. The central issue was whether Preserver's employers' liability coverage for East Coast Stucco & Construction, Inc. was limited to $100,000 or was unlimited, particularly after a construction worker, Arthur Ryba, suffered a grave injury in New York. The Court of Appeals found that the policy, issued and delivered in New Jersey, was not "issued for delivery" in New York, thus Preserver was not subject to New York's timely disclaimer rule under Insurance Law § 3420 (d). The Court further concluded that the policy's clear terms limited the employers' liability coverage to $100,000 per accident, rejecting arguments that New York insurance manual provisions for unlimited coverage applied when New York was listed as an "Other States Insurance" (Item 3.C.) state without explicit notification and reclassification to an "Item 3.A." state. The Appellate Division's order was reversed, limiting Preserver's indemnification duty.