Court says Texas' '8 Corners Rule' Bars Coverage for Builder

HOUSTON - A Texas appellate court has ruled that the insurer for a building subcontractor need not defend or indemnify the developer as an additional insured where the subcontractor was not referenced in the underlying complaint. D.R. Horton-Texas, Ltd. v. Markel International Insurance Company Ltd., No. 14-05-00486-CV (Texas 14th Dist. Ct. App.).

The 14th Court of Appeals held that the 'Eight Corners' rule applied and it need not look beyond the commercial general liability policy issued to masonry subcontractor Rosendo Ramirez or a property damage complaint filed by homeowners against D.R. Horton-Texas Ltd. to 'infer' that the subcontractor's work was …