John Pappas is a tough litigator and very bright. I’ve known him since I helped him get his position at the 100 plus insurance coverage defense firm eventually known as Butler Pappas way back in 1982 when only a handful of attorneys worked there. Bill Berk was a tough prosecutor before he became a principal … Continue Reading
I just returned from the Windstorm Insurance Network Conference in Orlando, Florida, where both defense and policyholder professionals discussed and debated important topics in the property/windstorm insurance claims industry.… Continue Reading
The Windstorm Insurance Conference in Orlando will feature a debate re-match between yours truly representing the policyholder view and Steve Badger who represents insurance companies. Many of my policyholder friends often ask how I can have such a good professional relationship with Badger whom they view as somebody akin to Darth Vader. I am certain some … Continue Reading
Don't miss the 2016 Windstorm Insurance Conference. The Windstorm conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, February 1 to February 4, 2016.… Continue Reading
Last month, Chip Merlin wrote a call out to the insurance company adjusters, insurance company lawyers, experts, and vendors to attend the Windstorm Insurance Conference coming up this February.… Continue Reading
I can answer the question above with a post I wrote almost seven years ago, The 2009 Windstorm Insurance Conference: The Windstorm Insurance Conference was founded nearly a decade ago byinsurance defense attorney, Janet Brown. Her law firm biography does not do her justice. She has been nationally recognized as one of the top insurance … Continue Reading
Along with many of my Merlin Law Group colleagues, I will be attending the Windstorm Insurance Conference at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans January 19-22, 2015. If you are an avid reader of this blog, you likely already know that the annual Windstorm Insurance (WIND) Conference provides a forum for review and discussion of … Continue Reading
Register by close of business on January 5, 2015 for the best value on the 16th annual Windstorm Insurance Network Conference. Make plans to join us in the Big Easy for this annual conference. WIND is a time when all sides of the insurance profession come together to connect and learn from each other in … Continue Reading
Last week I had the opportunity to attend the First Party Claims Conference in Warwick, Rhode Island, along with several of my Merlin Law Group colleagues. FPCC is a great opportunity to attend great presentations, earn CE credits, and network with some of the best in the claims advocacy industry. Another important conference is coming … Continue Reading
Wow. What a conference! This week Merlin Law Group was a sponsor and exhibitor at the 15th Annual Windstorm Insurance Network Conference held at the beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Merlin Law Group’s own Chip Merlin, Jean Niven, and Doug Grose, all presented on educational panels throughout the week.… Continue Reading
Janet Thompson from Overhead Door attended my seminar at last year’s Windstorm Insurance Conference. During my session, she remarked that often overlooked building codes apply to garage door replacement and repair. Wind loaded garage doors pose a serious issue to structure safety.… Continue Reading
The 2013 Windstorm Insurance Conference® was a success. Merlin Law Group had a number of attorneys speak at the Conference–including yours truly.… Continue Reading
Nobody publicly admits that they are acting unethical. Yet, for many endeavors in life, there are neither established ethical standards nor many rules explaining what fair and just behavior should entail. Until recently, I would suggest that appraisers and the appraisal process in many venues was a process with few rules and no ethical standards. … Continue Reading
The 14th Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference is just around the corner, and today is the last day to receive the discounted registration rate. This year, the conference will be held January 28-31, 2013, at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. Group rate hotel rooms are available for a limited time; click here to book your stay.… Continue Reading
Many policyholders making Hurricane Sandy personal property claims will not get paid what they deserve because their insurance adjusters fail to tell them to include all acquisition and setup costs when determining value. I thought about this over the weekend following Friday’s post, The Mythical National Flood Claim Memo and Sandy Flood Claims.… Continue Reading
For the past 20 months, each Saturday, I have posted on an issue that impacts public insurance adjusters. Many of my past posts have featured great success stories and interesting details of the claims public adjusters are handling nationwide, but so many more public adjuster stories need to be told. One of the best events … Continue Reading
On December 1, 2011, Steamboat Springs experienced wind speeds equivalent to an F2 tornado or a level three hurricane. Gusts of 123 mph were recorded at ski area peaks. Captured in a video on NBC’s channel 9 local news is the severe roof and window damage the winds caused to the condos in the village.… Continue Reading
The Windstorm Insurance Network’s 13th Annual Conference is set for January 30 to February 2, 2012, at the beautiful Buena Vista Palace Hotel in Orlando, Florida. WIND® recently posted the schedule, and, as you can see, there are educational opportunities for every adjuster, novice or highly experienced, to learn and better their skills. Adjusters, agents, … Continue Reading
As reported in Wind® Regional Symposium in Atlanta May 10, 2011, the Windstorm Insurance Network® is sponsoring a Regional Symposium in Georgia regarding windstorm claims, Given the recent tornados and severe windstorm destruction, this conference is extraordinarily timely for adjusters who are addressing these issues.… Continue Reading
Myths and rumors in the property adjusting community are puzzling to me. As the current President of the Windstorm Insurance Network®, I was copied on an internet post that wrongly indicated that the Windstorm Insurance Conference® had attendance by public insurance adjusters that outnumbered the attendance of insurance adjusters by a four to one margin. … Continue Reading
For public insurance adjusters, safety should be a top concern when inspecting a loss. I wanted to remind public adjusters how important it is to be aware of your personal safety when adjusting losses. You are often put in dangerous situations, and it is human nature to take safety and security for granted. Sometimes it … Continue Reading
The Windstorm Insurance Network® promotes itself as "The Educational Association for Windstorm Claims Industry Professionals."® It will be hosting a regional symposium in Atlanta on May 10, 2011, at the Emory Conference Center.… Continue Reading
This week, I attended the Twelfth Annual WINSTORM Insurance Conference in Houston, Texas. This year’s conference was held at the perfect location in Houston- the Hilton Americans. The Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar was the co-sponsor and continuing education credits were offered to adjusters and attorneys in various states. This … Continue Reading
In a few hours, I will become the President of the Windstorm Insurance Network. The 12th Annual Windstorm Conference has provided some impressions and reminded me of the silent majority of insurance adjusters who go about their jobs providing peace of mind and certainly overpaying parts of claims.… Continue Reading
