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Larry Bache pushed our firm to trademark “Contenders Not Pretenders” because he was tired of seeing unethical, faker attorneys advertising on social media. The Windstorm Insurance Conference, which will be held later this month in Orlando, is full of contenders from which we all can learn. I always look forward to this conference because of the diverse views and teachings which make me a better policyholder insurance lawyer. If there is one Hurricane claims conference where adjusters, attorneys from both sides of the aisle, engineers, insurance agents, roofers, restoration contractors, and other windstorm insurance experts can learn their trade, this is it.  …

Continue Reading Come to The Windstorm Insurance Conference To Learn How To Collect Over $1.1 Billion Insurance-Paid Dollars In Less Than One Year—Bill Bracken And Chip Merlin Are Featured Speakers At The Windstorm Insurance Conference

The Windstorm Insurance Network is a unique insurance claims organization because it insists on providing competing insurer and policyholder positions regarding claims issues. Long ago, in 2008, I discussed the history and philosophy of the Windstorm Insurance Network in The 2009 Windstorm Insurance Conference: …
Continue Reading Larry Bache To Speak at Windstorm Insurance Network Western States Case Law Review

Happy Father’s Day!

Pablo Caceres is an experienced insurance defense attorney from a very reputable law firm who has raised the issue of whether the appraisal process violates the constitution. In an answer to a lawsuit by a condominium trying to enforce the appraisal provision, Caceres made the following argument on behalf of his client, Empire Indemnity Insurance Company:…
Continue Reading Does the Appraisal Process Violate the Constitution?

Following up on the recent post, Appointment Of Umpires and What Qualifications Matter To A Court?, Robert Norton from the IAUA ( Insurance Appraisal and Umpire Association) reminded me that I wrote a blog, What is a “Competent” Umpire for a Property Insurance Appraisal. I quoted a lot of authorities in that post about what type of person would be a qualified umpire. Still, I noted the following personal view:…
Continue Reading What Are the Qualifications to Be an Insurance Umpire In the Insurance Appraisal Process?

The first accomplishment I was able to cross off for my 2020 was my work on the Windstorm Insurance Network’s Annual Conference. As many of you know, Chip Merlin is a big fan of writing down goals so that you can execute them. At the end of January, together with defense attorney Illon Kantro, we celebrated as conference committee co-chairs when the 21st annual conference wrapped.
Continue Reading Get Ready for WIND 2021

Chip Merlin and Rusty Shelton

Merlin Law Group cares about insurance consumers’ interests. Insurance company lawyers only care about their profits and profits for their insurers. I mentioned in David Berardinelli Was a Policyholder Advocate, that I would be completing a book with ForbesBooks about insurance policyholders and this book, Payup!, is about to be published this November.
Continue Reading PayUp! A Policyholders Guide to Insurance By Forbes Books

American politics and government can make people extraordinarily upset. The very nature of democracy, modern regulation, those being regulated and those regulating promotes active and emotional disagreements of what is the best public policy and how it should be determined. So, my first observation from yesterday’s post, Colorado House Bill 18-1153 Concerning Appraisals for Insurance Claims Killed in Finance Committee Hearing, is that Scott deLuise is very upset that the recent legislation he worked to draft with others and believed in, did not become law in Colorado—his lifelong and beloved state. I have been in similar losing situations and can empathize with him.
Continue Reading Appraisals: A Comment on the Scott deLuise Post Regarding Colorado Appraisals and Failed Colorado Appraisal Legislation

Last week, Richard Tutwiler of Tutwiler and Associates, Matthew Garnett of Vernis and Bowling, Heather Filegar of Southern Healthy Homes, and I presented at the 2018 Windstorm Insurance Conference at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel.

Rick Tutwiler who will be the President of the Windstorm Insurance Network in 2020, wanted to expand the course offering presented this year, so we proposed a topic that had not been presented in the past: Where Wind Meets Fire: Interesting Issues in Claims Where the Wind Brings Fire, Ash, Smoke, Soot and Ash to Other Properties.
Continue Reading Where Wind Meets Fire – Wildfire

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 up in January: The Windstorm Insurance Conference.…

Continue Reading Save the Date – Windstorm Insurance Conference January 19-22, 2015