How Rules of the Road Applies to Winning Property Insurance Cases: Chapter Five – Why Rules and Principles Need to Be Kept Distinct
James “Jimmy” DePalo Jr., Esq. Rules of the Road, written by Rick Friedman and Patrick Malone, is a must-read for a plaintiff attorney. It serves as a step-by-step guide and rules framework to help build a case against a defendant with the highest likelihood of success. As cited previously in our Merlin Law Blog: “At […]
Supreme Court Upholds Choice of Law Provision in Maritime Insurance Contract
My bet is that a Pennsylvania policyholder with a boat that was damaged in Ft. Lauderdale never expected that loss would end up in the United States Supreme Court, with the Court upholding policy language mandating that New York law would apply.1 99.9999% of all policyholders never ask if the policy which they are purchasing […]
What They Are and Why They Matter
This post is part of a series sponsored by AgentSync. Yes, PBM is yet another in a long line of insurance acronyms, but where would we be without them? Using a lot more words to say the same thing, for sure! With prescription drug costs ever increasing (and an ever-increasing topic of conversation), it’s more […]
Should Insurance Appraisers Be Disqualified Before or After the Appraisal Process?
The P.L.A.N. Appraisal Certification Course starts today in Denver. One of the topics that will be discussed is the qualifications of appraisers. What disqualifies an appraiser from an appraisal? The rule to remember is that the rules seem to vary depending on the state of the insurance appraisal. When can an appraiser’s qualifications be challenged? […]
Do Market Conduct Claims Studies Effectively Regulate Wrongful Insurance Company Claims Practices?
Do insurance regulators pay attention to all the news media stories about delayed and wrongful claims practices? Do insurance regulators and market conduct examiners do an effective job when it comes to claims? For policyholders, restoration contractors, and public adjusters, the answer is an emphatic “no.” Professor Jay Feinman, Insurance Law, Rutgers University Insurance law […]
Hardy Bowl Champion! | Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog
This could be the most valuable blog post you ever read. I am humbled by the “thank you” from restoration contractors and public adjusters for the help I enjoy providing to you and the work we do for your industries. It is a labor of love because I view you as kindred souls, just like […]
Are Public Adjusters Useful or A Menace? The Need to Raise Standards to Gain and Maintain a Public Adjusting License
The words to the question of this title are not mine. They were read aloud to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) from a letter written by the Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Thomas B. Donaldson. The insurance commissioner also stated: I want to make certain that my opinion of the public adjusters in my city—not […]