David J. Berardinelli
From Good Hands to Boxing Gloves is the premier book most people recognize and associate with David Berardinelli. I was working on my own book with Forbes Books and in my research learned that David had passed. Continue Reading
Rutgers insurance law professor Jay Feinman wrote a book, Delay Deny Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It, which exposed many insurance company unfair claims practices. In the last chapter of the book, he discussed how we can stop insurance claim wrongful delays and denials. Continue Reading
Rep. Jackie Toledo
The Insurance Journal published an article last week, Sometimes I Disagree with the Blogs I Love. The article had a lengthy discussion of this blog. I really like how it started:
Property Insurance Coverage Law – Chip Merlin and team do a great job helping me to understand what’s going on in property insurance law around the country. Everyone that writes here is super sharp and helps me to understand the legal changes and challenges around the country. Continue Reading
In my experience, one of the most misinterpreted property insurance policy provisions is the 180-day notice requirement to receive replacement cost benefits. Many in the property insurance industry interpret the provision to require actual repair/replacement within 180 days of the loss. Others interpret the provision to simply require notice within 180 days of the loss of the intent to repair/replace. And, there are those who interpret the requisite 180-day notice to be given only if the insured initially makes claim on an actual cash value basis. Continue Reading
The “First 48” hours are imperative after two events in this world: solving a homicide, and remediating your home from a toilet water backup. They don’t make a TV show about remediating toilet water (as far as I know), so we are here to explain. Continue Reading
The South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce gave Merlin Law Group a wonderful ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the Grand Opening of our new Oklahoma City Office. Drew Houghton, Larry Bache and I were thrilled by the outpouring of wishes for success. I am certain that insurance companies delaying, denying and underpaying Oklahoma claims are not as wishful for our growth as the Chamber Chairman of the Board, Karl Hillerman, is—as seen in this photo wishing that we aspire to even larger offices, with many more attorneys.
In an important New Jersey policyholder decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit recently addressed New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act (CFA) and ruled the CFA applies to an insurer’s deceptive claims handling practices as well as the sale of insurance policies.1 Continue Reading
Colorado appraisal law is certainly a hot topic. The law is in flux with appeals and challenges. And then, our firm attorneys got a bizarre email yesterday from an alleged reporter with Law Week Colorado: Continue Reading
Rene Sigman from Merlin Law Group’s Houston office was invited to work with a panel of judges to determine a set of pretrial procedures designed to resolve cases efficiently, quickly, and fairly. Their work has finished and have published a set of protocols that most of us will follow during future disaster litigation. Continue Reading
Florida legislators have introduced legislation allowing insurance companies to delay, deny, and underpay Floridians’ insurance claims without accountability. National Flood insurance has no such good faith standards nor accountability and the above news story shows how Floridians can be expected to be treated if the Florida legislature passes anti-consumer laws eliminating protections that have been in place since 1982 for people and businesses hurt by insurers that fail to act in good faith. Continue Reading
