Insurance litigation increased 30% in 2022
Business liability, hurricane and home insurance cases were the major drivers of the increase.
In 2022, insurance cases litigated in federal district courts increased 30% compared with the year prior, according to Lex Machina. In total, there were more than 18,912 insurance cases litigated in federal district courts this past year.
Overall, $381 million in total damages were awarded across 123 cases in 2022. Business liability, hurricane and home insurance cases were the major drivers of the increase.
From 2020-2022, most cases (77%) that were heard in federal district courts were “likely settlements,” Lex Machina reported. Around 2% saw the claimant win, while 8% went in favor of the defendant and 13% came to procedural conclusions.
For cases that saw an appeal from 2020-2022, the appellee won half of the time and appellants were victorious in 15% of cases. Slightly more than a quarter of these cases saw likely settlements and 9% came to procedural resolutions.
State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. was the most active plaintiff and defendant in the period stretching 2020-2022. The company was a defendant in 4,317 cases during the period, and a plaintiff in 121 cases, Lex Machina reported.
The above infographic reveals more insurance litigation trends from this past year as well as the two-year period starting in 2020.
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