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Pollution Exclusion in CGL Policies: Clarifying the Exclusion to Avoid Litigation and Coverage Gaps

A live 90-minute CLE video webinar with interactive Q&A

This program is included with the Strafford CLE Pass. Click for more information.
This program is included with the Strafford All-Access Pass. Click for more information.

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

1:00pm-2:30pm EDT, 10:00am-11:30am PDT

Early Registration Discount Deadline, Friday, July 11, 2025

or call 1-800-926-7926

This CLE course will guide insurance counsel through the many different forms of "pollution exclusion" clauses in commercial general liability (CGL) policies, explore why they exclude many types of losses not caused by hazardous materials, review differing court interpretations of the exclusion, and offer best arguments for insurers and policyholders for either avoiding or maximizing coverage.

Description

The pollution exclusion likely qualifies as the most misapplied and misunderstood exclusion within the CGL policy by courts, policyholders, and insurers. Errors in application of the pollution exclusion are varied, ranging from a failure to grasp the injury or damage's true proximate cause to an improper interpretation of the pollution exclusion itself. Courts further contribute to this misunderstanding through inconsistent rulings across jurisdictions.

The pollution exclusion in CGL policies is a heavily litigated issue in environmental coverage claims. Courts wrestle with the distinctions between traditional and nontraditional pollution, with no consensus on whether the total pollution exclusion applies to nontraditional pollution.

Case law on the pollution exclusion covers the spectrum. Recent cases attempting to stretch or narrow coverage have generated novel arguments, some of which have been successful depending on the wording of the exclusion and how it must be read with other exclusions in the policy.

Listen as our authoritative panel of practitioners discusses the scope of the pollution exclusion in CGL policies, the most recent case law developments, and perspectives for both insurers and policyholders arguing the applicability of the exclusion.

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Outline

  1. Pollution exclusion provision language
  2. Traditional pollution vs. nontraditional pollution
  3. Recent case law developments

Benefits

The panel will review these and other significant questions:

  • How do courts make the distinction between traditional and nontraditional sources of pollution?
  • What are the most recent developments in applying the pollution exclusion to damages?

Faculty

Harding, John
John T. Harding

Attorney
McAngus Goudelock & Courie

Mr. Harding has more than thirty years of legal experience in the areas of insurance coverage litigation,...  |  Read More

Attend on July 29

Early Discount (through 07/11/25)

Cannot Attend July 29?

Early Discount (through 07/11/25)

You may pre-order a recording to listen at your convenience. Recordings are available 48 hours after the webinar. Strafford will process CLE credit for one person on each recording. All formats include course handouts.

To find out which recorded format will provide the best CLE option, select your state:

CLE On-Demand Video