Mark Phillips recently posted a comment in Surplus Lines Insurers, Sinkholes, and the Law of Mars, which would probably terminate his employment as an adjuster for telling the truth if he were still an Independent Adjuster:

"I handled numerous loss adjustments for a South Florida MGA broker who had arranged his own "excess surplus lines" authority overseas. Due to this flexible "hand-shake" authority and with his own customized and approved manuscripted policy designs, he was actually controlling the underwriting data and policy issuance. He was bold and daring enough to "check off" certain boxes misrepresenting building characteristics and histories inaccurately on applications, so that, at time of loss investigation he could promptly deny coverage when it was noted in the adjusting routine that certain building events and maintenances had not occurred as were required to be validated in order to acquire the policy coverage and issuance. He could thus accurately void the contract on grounds of misrepresentation, and have the underwriting questionnaire in the file to back up the denial. His incentive was of course to sustain his flexible contract arrangement and limit his loss ratios, thus enriching his commission contingencies. Worth noting is that many of the insureds represented a class of Hispanic consumers who had no ability to know what was authentically being stated on their final application and were thus caught by surprise when struggling to communicate in English, back to me the adjuster, that they had not confirmed certain property realities that had been "checked off" on their application.

Another compromised policyholder left at the curb." 

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Continue Reading The Insurance Adjuster’s Dilemma: Tell the Truth and Face the Consequences By Raising Claim Practice Misconduct