Texas is where "the game" is being played regarding insurance coverage disputes in 2010. The Windstorm Insurance Network will hold its second Texas Insurance Symposium on May 11, 2010, in Dallas, Texas, where many of the issues related to windstorm coverage will be discussed. Certainly, the coverage issues raised by Hurricane Ike litigation will be highlighted.
Appraisal is an often debated topic in Texas. The Symposium will host a special class devoted to Certification of Umpires in the Appraisal process. For those actively participating as or wishing to be appointed as Umpires in Texas appraisals, you simply cannot miss the opportunity to enroll in this class.
WIND Umpire Certification®
This workshop will provide the necessary certification to any¬one who wishes to be included in the Windstorm Insurance Network Umpire Directory. The first segment will focus on eth¬ics and professionalism as an umpire in the appraisal process. Case law will be the subject of the second segment. The final segment will address forms and awards.
Faculty: Janet L. Brown, Esquire, Boehm, Brown, Fischer, Harwood, Kelly & Scheihing, P.A.; John Voelpel, Voelpel Claim Service; Jon Doan, Claims Consulting Group; Dick Tutwiler, Charles R. Tutwiler and Associates; Javier Delgado, Esquire, Merlin Law Group.
REQUIREMENTS: Space is limited to the first 100 registrants.This is a double-session, Part 1 and Part 2 MUST be taken together.
Javier Delgado and Tina Nicholson have been writing on Texas insurance issues every week in this Blog. Tina addressed Texas appraisals in Recent Court Decision in Texas Regarding Appraisal. Javier is on the Umpire panel for this symposium and will certainly address some of the new issues that are being raised since State Farm Lloyds v. Johnson was decided last year by the Texas Supreme Court.
A highlight of the Symposium and session that nobody will want to miss features two stellar panelists. Fortunately, there is no limit to the registrant size of that workshop:
Gulf Coast Insurance Case Law Update: Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana
This workshop will discuss and review recent property insur¬ance case law from Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. It will include interpretations of how courts in the various states are ruling on insurance related issues. Developments in the three states that take up the western part of the Gulf will become more and more important as the impacts of storms such as Ike, Gustav, and even Rita and Katrina become important on the legal landscape. This panel, composed of a policyholder and a carrier’s attorney, will update you on the latest legal develop¬ments in Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana and also provide a lively debate on whether the trends are pro-insured or pro-carrier.
Faculty: William “Chip” Merlin, Jr., Esquire, Merlin Law Group; Stephen Pate, Esquire, Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
Dr. Robert Hartwig of the Insurance Information Institute, recently provided a presentation to the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. He indicated that Hurricane Ike was the fourth most costly insured catastrophe in the United States and the third most costly hurricane. Hartwig’s statistics indicate that Hurricane Ike resulted in approximately 1,350,000 insurance claims. As this symposium is taking place in Texas, I am sure the material will be especially relevant to adjusters and attorneys dealing with current windstorm claims issues. Don’t miss it.
