Recently, the Colorado Supreme Court issued its opinion in Owners Ins. Co. v. Dakota Station II Condominium Association,1 on appraiser impartiality. Specifically, the court discussed the meaning and interpretation of impartiality under the insurance policy and whether a contingent-cap fee agreement between the appraiser and Dakota Station rendered the appraiser not impartial as a matter of … Continue Reading
The Texas Supreme Court recently answered the question above in two cases with different results depending on what type of insurance code violations the insured is alleging. The court addressed Texas Insurance Code chapter 542 violations (often called prompt payment of claims) in Barbara Technologies Corporation v. State Farm Lloyds.1… Continue Reading
Rene Sigman of Merlin Law Group’s Houston office was getting some pretty good results for clients this week when she sent me a Texas Supreme Court appraisal case which makes delaying insurers more accountable for inaccurate or plain wrongful estimates of the benefits owed to policyholders. All this Texas good news had me thinking “Yippee-Yi-Yo-Ki-Yay!”… Continue Reading
I recently had a public adjuster reach out to me asking me how pre-award interest on an appraisal award was calculated. Coincidently, in Creekview of Hugo Association v. Owners Insurance Company,1 the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota recently addressed the application of pre-award or pre-judgment interest under Minnesota Law.… Continue Reading
A recent Florida 4th District Court of Appeal decision, Bryant v. Geovera Specialty Insurance Company,1 addressed the issue of whether an insurance carrier’s payment of an appraisal award above a sublimit constituted a “confession of judgment.”… Continue Reading
Rhode Island appraisals are treated very similar to Florida appraisals. The general rule is that unless the claim is denied for coverage, the parties must go to appraisal if it is demanded. Insurers seeking to avoid appraisal need to specifically indicate why the dispute is subject to a coverage denial and must be litigated.… Continue Reading
With appraisal becoming more popular in first-party insurance cases, I often get asked: When is the appraisal completed? As most answers for a first party insurance case – it depends on the policy. Recently a Federal District Court in Florida was asked to determine which of two apprasial awards was final and enforceable.1… Continue Reading
The purpose of Section 627.7015, Florida Statutes titled “Alternative procedure for resolution of disputed property insurance claims” is to encourage insurance companies and policyholders to resolve their disagreements regarding disputed property insurance claims without the necessity of litigation or appraisal. The statute requires, in part: (2) At the time a first-party claim within the scope … Continue Reading
Public adjuster Stephanie Lee approached me at the Win The Storm conference with an intriguing question—could she be appointed by a contractor holding an Assignment of Claim as the contractor’s appraiser in an appraisal? My first thought, and I bet it is the same thought most reading this blog, was “why not?”… 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
Arbitration clauses are becoming much more common in property insurance policies. On January 25, the Kentucky Department of Insurance noted that arbitration clauses in property insurance policies will generally be void:1… Continue Reading
The photograph above depicts the Merlin Law Group “War Room” during a week-long arbitration last week. Michael Duffy, Ian Dankelman, Eric Dickey, and Kelly Kubiak were the winning Merlin Law Group team obtaining a $3.1 million award on Saturday. What a way to start off the year!… Continue Reading
Recently, I presented at the Professional Public Adjusters Association of New Jersey educational conference on the area of insurance appraisal to roughly 30 public adjusters. During my preparation, I reviewed current and past appraisal provisions contained within standard insurance policies. In my research, I found some very interesting differences contained within insurance policy appraisal provisions … Continue Reading
Appraisal provisions in property insurance policies are intended to provide an alternative dispute resolution process for resolving property insurance claim disputes involving the amount of loss. The amount awarded by the appraisal panel is, with limited exceptions, binding on both parties under the terms of the policy. While the appraisal process is intended to bring … Continue Reading
A raíz de la catástrofe causada por los huracanes Irma y María, surgió la necesidad de revisar el proceso de reclamaciones ante las aseguradoras en aras de hacer este uno más eficiente. Es por esto que, el gobierno ha trabajado en métodos que ayudarán a mejorar los procedimientos de manejo de reclamaciones ante las aseguradoras. … Continue Reading
After the catastrophe caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, there was a need for an efficient recovery process. The government has worked on methods to improve the way insurance claims are handled. Following models from multiple jurisdictions in the United States, Puerto Rico will now have available more protections and resolution methods for property and … Continue Reading
In the case Biasatti v. GuideOne National Ins. Co., No. 07-17-00044-CV (Tex. Ct.App. Aug. 16, 2018), Steven Biasatti and Paul Gross, d/b/a TopDog Properties, brought suit against its insurance company, GuideOne National Insurance Company for breach of contract.… Continue Reading
The appraisal alternative dispute resolution procedure in most first-party property insurance policies in Florida is a valuable process for insureds. In our experience at Merlin Law Group, few states in the country have a greater need for an understandable, enforceable appraisal process than Florida. Since at least Hurricane Andrew in 1992, policyholders and insurers have … Continue Reading
House Bill 911, effective January 1, 2018, was filed by Representative Sean Shaw and enacted by the Florida Legislature to amend Fla. Stat. § 626.854, which protects policyholders through the regulation of public adjusters. Chip Merlin discussed this new law in detail in his post on July 2, 2017. In requiring public adjusters to be … Continue Reading
On June 12, 2018, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of Puerto Rico (OCI) issued Ruling Letter No. CN-2018-241-D, Appraisal Procedures for Insurance Claims for Commercial Property Related to Catastrophic Events.… Continue Reading
Nearly every homeowner’s insurance policy issued in Florida provides a mechanism for resolving disputes between the insured and their carrier as to the amount of a loss: Appraisal.… Continue Reading
Florida’s Federal Middle District believes it can.1 After Hurricane Irma struck its commercial building in Port Charlotte, Florida, building owners Etcetera, Etc, Inc., filed an insurance claim under their policy with Evanston Insurance Company (“Evanston”). Evanston began its investigation, and as that was underway Charlotte County also inspected the building and issued a “Notice of … Continue Reading
A Missouri Court of Appeals recently held that an appraiser may advocate for the party that appointed the appraiser as long as the appraiser has no financial interest in the outcome of the appraisal.… Continue Reading
Nebraska appraisals are virtually non-existent. The Supreme Court of Nebraska equated an appraisal clause to an arbitration clause, as both serve to “oust” courts of their jurisdiction, and therefore unenforceable.1… Continue Reading
