Samuel H. Ruby

Sam has represented insurers in connection with large fire, rain, mold, earth movement, flood, electrical disturbance, construction defect, contamination, and other first-party insurance claims. He has extensive experience with both the physical damage issues and the time element issues that such claims may present—including questions relating to civil authority, ingress/egress, service interruption, and contingent time element (dependent property) coverage. Sam frequently is engaged to assist with claims presented under specialized insurance programs for public entities and Native American nations, and he serves a major insurer as national coordinating counsel regarding claims potentially implicating Additional Collapse Coverage. He is an Associate Member of the Loss Executives Association, a premiere organization of professionals in the large loss arena. 

Sam frequently assists insurers with resolution of severe and complex builder's risk claims. On the property damage side of such claims, he often is involved with issues surrounding repair costs, defect exclusions, sub-limits, coverage extensions, and termination of coverage. On the delay-in-completion side of such claims, he is often involved with issues surrounding validation and calculation of delay periods; accounting of income loss over a period of delay; and identification and measurement of covered soft costs. 

Throughout his career, Sam has represented syndicates doing business at Lloyd's and companies operating in the greater London Market. He has defended London-based underwriters in litigation in California and several other states. Sam is a regular visitor to London and attends the annual conference organized by the Property Insurance Claims Group, a Lloyd's Market Association committee.  

Sam has represented insurers in connection with tenders of defense, demands for indemnity, and contribution actions between insurers. He has extensive experience with standard and non-standard commercial general liability (CGL) forms, including "all sums" issues, "legally obligated to pay as damages" issues, definitions of "bodily injury," "property damage," "occurrence," and "advertising/personal injury," exclusions, "other insurance" clauses, and independent ("Cumis") counsel issues. 

Sam advises and represents professional liability and D&O insurers in connection with errors and omissions claims, often involving architects, engineers, and contractors. 

Dating back to his days as a law clerk while still in law school, Sam has particular expertise in marine insurance coverage matters, having advised and represented underwriters of such coverages asocean and inland marine cargo and storage; hull/yacht; protection and indemnity; marine general liability; ship repairer's, marina operator's, and boat dealer's liability; and motor carrier's liability.