Jan. 22, 2026
How California courts are clearing the air on fire claims
In 2025, California courts and the Department of Insurance clarified that "direct physical loss or damage" from fires and smoke--including invisible or microscopic damage--can qualify for coverage under insurance policies, building on the precedent set in Another Planet Entertainment v. Vigilant Insurance.
Kirk A. Pasich
Partner and Co-Leader of the Insurance Recovery Group
McGuireWoods LLP
Phone: (310) 956-3462
Email: kpasich@mcguirewoods.com
Loyola Law School
California appellate courts rendered fewer significant
insurance-related decisions in 2025 than they did in years past. Indeed, the
California Supreme Court rendered none in 2025, compared with three important
decisions in 2024.
However, one of those 2024 decisions resonated significantl...
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