The attorneys at Bovis, Kyle & Burch, LLC. have been providing coverage opinions and litigating coverage issues for over 30 years. We have experience with a broad range of both primary, umbrella, and excess insurance policies, including first-party property policies, commercial general liability policies, professional liability policies, automobile policies, homeowner’s policies, and various types of manuscript and program policies. We also handle cases involving builder’s risk, inland-marine, boiler and machinery policies, and various alternative risk transfer agreements. Our firm is capable of providing expert, cost-effective representation on any insurance coverage dispute.

For years a significant part of our insurance practice has related to handling property insurance claims, especially cases with arson and fraud defenses. The Firm has long-standing relationships with cause and origin experts, forensic accountants, and other technical experts. The Firm has also been called upon from time to time to consult on drafting policy provisions. We specialize in handling “bad faith” and extra-contractual claims. Our long history of advising insurers on how to handle claims in good faith has prepared us to properly evaluate these claims.

Another significant part of the firm’s insurance practice is evaluating coverage and duty to defend issues under liability policies. The Firm has extensive experience with construction-defect, personal and advertising injury, motor carrier, uninsured motorist, and environmental coverage issues. We have litigated numerous declaratory judgment actions and defended allegations of breach of contract involving coverage issues. Providing coverage opinions and direction to insurance carriers that are faced with having to decide whether to defend or deny coverage for claims that do not appear to be covered is a specialty of the firm.

Throughout his 37 year career, Steve Kyle has represented clients on coverage matters. He has litigated over a hundred coverage cases across the Southeast and has tried several multi-million dollar cases. He is a member and former president of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, a member of the Defense Research Institute, has spoken at DRI national seminars, is a member of the I.A.D.C., and is a member of both the states bars of Georgia and Florida. He has been admitted pro hac vice is 38 states.

Jimmy Singer has been involved with coverage issues since he began his legal career in 1982. He has handled many coverage cases, particularly environmental cases, and helped develop Georgia law on the pollution exclusion. Having been admitted pro hac vice in over half the states in the country, all manner of coverage issues, particularly involving property or insureds in the Southeastern United States, remains a significant part of his practice. Also, as a mediator registered with the Georgia Supreme Court, he brings an additional and unique perspective for clients evaluating the various and evolving issues presented in the coverage area.

David Smith, a member of the firm with over 20 years of experience, has specialized in insurance coverage for the past fourteen years. In 1991, he left Bovis, Kyle & Burch to accept a position as an assistant-general counsel with CIGNA Property and Casualty (n/k/a ACE USA). At CIGNA, he supervised most of CIGNA’s coverage litigation in the Southeastern United States. He also provided thousands of coverage opinions on virtually every aspect of the standard ISO CGL and business auto coverage forms. David rejoined Bovis, Kyle & Burch in 2001 to head up the firm’s insurance coverage practice. He has hands on experience at evaluating coverage for construction-defect claims, personal and advertising injury claims, coordination of coverage disputes, and additional insured/indemnity issues. He has won summary judgments on coverage in both state and federal courts, and has litigated several multi-million dollar coverage cases.

Scott Busby, also a member of the firm, began his career in 1990 working exclusively on first-party insurance coverage disputes. He has maintained this area as a significant part of his practice. Scott has particular expertise in the area of business interruption analysis stemming from his accounting and finance background. Mr. Busby obtained his MBA from Georgia State University in 1987 with a concentration in finance, and is accustomed to interfacing with accountants on complex financial matters.

Firm members Jay Peavy and Ron Negin also have significant experience in handling both first-party and third-party coverage disputes.

Bovis, Kyle & Burch, LLC. understands the insurance industry. As one of the leading insurance coverage firms in the Southeast, we can provide cost-effective legal representation on virtually any insurance coverage issue that is presented in today’s complex legal environment.