⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit hears oral argument in Randel versus Travelers Lloyds of Texas, a dispute over first-party insurance coverage and prompt payment of claims. After a fire at the Randel home, the parties disagreed on the scope of covered damage, and an appraisal eventually awarded additional damages. The Randels say the insurer missed statutory deadlines for paying the claim. They seek interest and attorney's fees under Texas prompt payment law. The district court granted summary judgment for Travelers. An earlier appeal ended in a remand after the Texas Supreme Court changed the governing standard while the case was pending. Now back on appeal, the question is whether the district court erred in granting summary judgment a second time. The Randels argue that Travelers never proved a policy exclusion applied, so the claim remained covered and the deadlines ran. Travelers counters that the Randels failed to challenge independent grounds for the judgment and so waived their appeal. Travelers has also argued that the payment clock never started because, in its view, the Randels withheld information it had requested. The Randels have asked the court, if it finds the law uncertain, to certify the controlling question to the Texas Supreme Court.

Randel v. Travelers Lloyds of Texas (No. 25-20231) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, argued August 6, 2026.