Indemnity

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Indemnification clauses appear in nearly every agreement, but they are often overlooked as mere boilerplate provisions after the parties have painstakingly negotiated all of the other terms. It is not uncommon for parties to simply re-use the indemnity language from a prior agreement without considering whether it is a good fit for their current project. This can be a big mistake that may lead to ambiguities and uncertainties if a dispute arises down the road. A standard or canned indemnification clause might work to undo all of the effort that has gone into properly allocating risk. These clauses often contain language such as “notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein,” or the like, which can alter and override other provisions in the agreement.
Continue Reading Last, but NOT Least: Why You Should Take a Closer Look at Your Next Indemnification Clause

By Helen Lauderdale

Indemnification clauses in construction contracts often state that one party to the contract – the "indemnitor" – will defend and indemnify the other party from particular types of claims. On construction projects, the "indemnitors" are typically the contractor and architect/engineer ("A-E") who agree to defend and indemnify the owner – the "indemnitee." If the owner is sued for construction defects or personal injury which implicate the contractor or A-E, the owner usually tenders the lawsuit to them for defense and indemnity.
 Continue Reading Architect-Engineer’s Duty to Defend Is Immediate Under Construction Indemnity Clause

By Edward B. Lozowicki and James G. Higgins

Owners, developers and major general contractors are ramping up their use of wrap-up insurance policies on building and industrial projects. When sponsored by an Owner, wrap-ups are dubbed  Owner-Controlled Insurance Program ("OCIPs"). If the general contractor sponsors the wrap-up, it is termed a Contractor Controlled Insurance Program ("CCIPs"). These policies offer significant cost savings to owners and generals. Traditionally, bid packages required the general contractor and its subcontractors each to carry liability insurance and to indemnify the Owner and name it as an additional insured. This arrangement has been criticized as requiring costly duplication of coverage, and causing needless litigation over indemnity rights. Wrap-ups seek to avoid these consequences by affording liability coverage to all participants on a project under a single policy. However there have been problems with wrap-ups such as inadequate policy limits and gaps in coverage. And the controversy over contractual indemnity clauses continues.
 Continue Reading New Legislation on Wrap-up Insurance And Indemnity Clauses