Commonwealth Insurance Company

Two United States-based subsidiaries of Bermuda firms have joined a slew of litigation by insurers and reinsurers who are seeking damages against the United States Government for claims caused by Hurricane Katrina.The two new actions were filed at the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on March 7, 2008 and brought to 1,568 the number of Katrina-related cases filed at the court against the Government, which have been rolled into one lead action.

Eight Bermuda based companies are among the defendants in a recently civil lawsuit filed recently by clients of broker Marsh & McLennan who claim they were damaged in a bid rigging scam. One of the plaintiffs is also incorporated in Bermuda.

Two Bermuda companies are among several insurers being sued for allegedly refusing to pay a business interruption claim concerning a mine fire in Pennsylvania. Allied World Assurance Company Ltd. and XL Insurance (Bermuda) Ltd. are defendants alongside Berkshire Hathaway Inc., incorporated in Delaware and based in Stamford, Connecticut; National Fire & Marine Insurance Company, incorporated and based in Nebraska; Commonwealth Insurance Company, of Vancouver, Canada; International Mining Industry Underwriters Ltd., of London, England; International Insurance Company of Hannover Limited, of Surrey, England; Lloyd's of London, Hiscox Syndicate Limited, Ascot Underwriters Limited, and R. J. Kiln & Co. Limited, all c/o Mendes & Mount, New York.

Bermuda-based firms are among seven insurers being sued for at least $21 million resulting from claims over alleged methane ignitions at a coal mine in West Virginia.The action was filed by PinnOak Resources LLC, of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and its parent, Pinnacle Mining Company LLC, at the Circuit Court of Wyoming County in West Virginia on February 6, 2004 and removed to the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 4, 2004.