In the wake of a pipeline release, beyond notifying all required federal and state government agencies, an operator should keep in mind another important notification—its insurer.  Most insurance policies contain mandatory conditions, including notice of claims and cooperation with the insurer.  Failure to comply with these conditions may result in a denial of coverage.  The Fourth Circuit recently held that an insured was not entitled to reimbursement under its insurance policy because the policyholder failed to comply with the policy conditions.   Perini/Tompkins Joint Venture v. ACE American Ins. Co., No. 12-2415 (4th Cir. Dec. 16. 2013).  In that case, the insured failed to comply with provisions in its policy that require notice of underlying litigation and the insurer’s consent prior to entering into settlement.  This resulted in the Court affirming a complete denial of coverage for what otherwise should have been a covered settlement.  As noted in a more lengthy Hunton & Williams client alert, this case illustrates the critical importance of ensuring that policyholders obtain sound coverage advice at all stages of a claim.  Pipeline incidents, environmental releases and shareholder claims may all be events that trigger required notification of a claim and cooperation with the insurer.  Involving experienced coverage counsel from the outset of a claim and throughout the claim process will help ensure that the policyholder satisfies any conditions to coverage and complies with all policy requirements.