With the U.S. military operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power, the insurance industry is facing significant questions about how the event will be characterized and whether it will be viewed as an act of war.

Goldberg Segalla partner David L. Brown, co-chair of the firm’s Global Insurance Services practice group, was quoted in a Law360 article examining what this uncertainty means for coverage across marine shipping, political risk, and war risk policies.

The article, “Maduro Removal Raises Insurance Questions Around Oil, War,” highlights the Second Circuit’s affirmation of Citgo’s victory, in which unrest tied to Maduro’s efforts to retain power was deemed an insurrection, triggering coverage under an institute war clauses provision.

David emphasizes that timing and diplomatic recognition are central to coverage analysis and a critical consideration for carriers and policyholders operating in volatile regions.

“Among other things, policyholders and insurers will have to look at – if there are losses like the one in Citgo – when did they take place, and who was responsible for it?” he says. “And at the given time, was the U.S. administration recognizing the actor as the official government of the country or not?”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE (SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED): “Maduro Removal Raises Insurance Questions Around Oil, War,” Law360, January 15, 2026

MORE ABOUT GOLDBERG SEGALLA’S David L. Brown:

Co-chair of the Global Insurance Services practice group, David represents insurers and insurance brokers in complex disputes throughout the country in matters involving environmental claims, construction defect claims, broker/agent issues, and directors’ and officers’ liability coverage. He has also handled very large and complex property coverage matters involving fires and other catastrophic losses, as well as product liability claims for clients in multiple industries. David is regularly called upon to represent insurers and brokers with respect to their most sensitive matters involving their business practices and their institutional interests. He is also a certified mediator and maintains an active mediation practice.

In addition to being nationally recognized as an insurance expert, David has been consistently recognized by his peers and by judges as a preeminent trial and appellate lawyer. David has tried more than 75 cases to verdict and has been lead counsel in over 50 appeals to state and federal appellate courts. Highly regarded among his colleagues, he is rated AV Preeminent—the highest possible rating—by Martindale-Hubbell.