Seth Row Quoted on Insurance Coverage Issues Following Orange County Chemical Leak

In a recent Law360 article, Stoel Rives partner Seth Row discussed the insurance coverage implications arising from a chemical leak and evacuation orders affecting tens of thousands of residents and businesses in Orange County, California.

The incident stemmed from a leak at a plastics manufacturing facility in Garden Grove that prompted a days-long evacuation and widespread business disruptions. As residents and business owners began assessing potential insurance claims, coverage questions quickly emerged regarding evacuation expenses, business interruptions and pollution-related liabilities.

Row noted that standard homeowners and renters insurance policies may provide limited coverage when evacuation orders are issued without accompanying property damage.

“If there's no explosion or actual property damage that triggered the evacuation, then most people aren't going to have any luck getting coverage — homeowners or renters,” Row told Law360.

He also discussed the liability implications that can arise from chemical incidents and the challenges policyholders may face when seeking coverage under specialized pollution liability policies.

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