Insurance Agent / Broker - Standards of Care Consultants: 23

Prof. William J. Warfel, PhD, CPCU, CLU, specializes in Insurance and Risk Management. Currently on faculty at Indiana State University, his subjects have included Property / Liability Insurance, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Introduction to Risk and Insurance, Commercial Liability Insurance, and Insurance Seminars. 

Dr. Warfel is widely published in applied, professional journals. He has formally agreed to make a presentation concerning the “Application of the Separation of Insureds Condition” to the Indianapolis Bar Association as part of its Continuing Education Program (Winter Symposium, Indianapolis Bar Association, Insurance Coverage Section) for its members on December 9, 2021.

Dr. Warfel is a Member of the Board of Directors Overseeing the Development and Use of a Monetary Investment Software Tracking System for the purpose of holding contractors and subcontractors connected to construction projects accountable, and protecting the insurable interest of banks who finance these construction projects.  He has also participated as a panelist in a plenary session sponsored by the United Campus Ministries, and the
Indiana State University Center for Economic Education. The title of this session was, “Healthcare Reform: Industry Implications, Insurance Complications, and the Economics of it All.”

Insurance Industry Studies:

• Commissioned by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), to prepare an Issues Analysis paper concerning legislative expansion of policyholder remedies for first party bad faith. Prf. Warfel's role was to present the legal landscape concerning first-party bad faith law across the United States.
• Commissioned by Networks Financial Institute at Indiana State University to draft a working paper concerning issues related to insurance regulatory reform.
• Commissioned by the Coalition for Quality, Affordable Housing to conduct a study concerning why reliance on litigation to resolve disputes relating to alleged construction defects has contributed to a price/availability problem with respect to contractors liability insurance in California.
• Completed a faculty internship with Safeco Insurance Companies, the purpose of which was to examine the response of state legislatures to disruption in property insurance markets that occurs in the aftermath of a natural disaster, and examine the need for federal reinsurance.
• Commissioned by State Farm Fire and Casualty Insurance Company to conduct a study concerning the impact of natural disasters on insurers and the insurance marketplace.

View Dr. William Warfel's Expert Witness Profile.

U.S. Accredited Expert Claims & Appraisals, LLC, (USAE), provides expert work for ANY and ALL types of Property Claims most anywhere for ANY property claim in the USA. With over 30 years of experience, USAE's four-step plan ensures their clients get the best payout from their insurance policy:

1. Inspect - Free inspection and consultation to thoroughly evaluate each case, including property, insurance policies, and total damages incurred.
2. Review - Review records and insurance policies in greater detail, taking note of all evidence to support client cases. They partner with attorneys, inspectors, professional investigators, and other professionals to get a solid understanding of each case.
3. Advise and Offer Options - Offer clients all the entitlements they are owed and inform them of all the favorable options.
4. Negotiate - Personally sees the insurance company and negotiate on their clients' behalf. They use their 30 years of experience to get their clients the best claims and appraisal service in the USA.

Bruce Fredrics, RGA (EGA), SME, CGA, AIC, ACA, CCA, PCLA, LPCS, HCI/R/C, FSRT, WINDP, CMS, AMRT, WRT, CPLA, CPLU, CPAU, CMI, UCC, CPCUc, CCPc, ACPc, B.S, is the Principal at USAE and a United States Registered Federal and State Court Certified Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Insurance Appraisal, Claims Processes, and Industry Standards of Practice and Care. Practicing for over 30 years, he is considered an Elite Expert at the most advanced pinnacle of ability. 

A Loss Consultant, Public Insurance Adjuster, and Independent Claims Adjuster, Mr. Fredrics is engaged / retained by consumers, insurance companies, and Governments to handle insurance claims settlements and to resolve disputes. His experience includes educating and teaching State Regulators including Directors of Insurance Commissioner Offices, their Attorneys, Plaintiff and Defense Counsel, other Federal Experts, and Professionals, including Managers, Supervisors, and Professional Boards.

Areas of Expertise:

Man-Made Damage Commercial Property Condominium Construction Defects Claims Disputes Equipment / Mechanical Breakdown Business Interruption Residential Dwelling Manufactured Housing Sinkhole Mold Fire Investigation and Adjustment Environmental / Pollution Property Liability

Catastrophe Losses: Hurricanes, Tornadoes,  Total Losses Product Liability General Liability Professional Liability Harassment Casualty Bodily Injury Fatalities Murder / Homicide, Attempted Murder Weapon Assault Auto Liability / Auto Physical Damage Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Cargo Workers Compensation Liability

View Bruce Fredrics' Expert Witness Profile.

Paul W. Burkett, JD, CPCU, CIC, ARM,CRM, ALCM, has been CEO of Snoaspen Insurance Group, Inc., since 1995. He has extensive experience:

• Providing Insurance Risk Management Consultant Services and Policy / Risk Management Program Audit Services to Commercial Clients and Agents/Brokers
• Providing Personal and Commercial Insurance Policy Coverage training for Agents, Brokers and Risk Managers

Mr. Burkett began his career as a Loss Control Representative for SAFECO Insurance Company after serving as an Officer in the United States Air Force. During his career with SAFECO, he served as a Loss Control Supervisor, Loss Control Manager, Commercial Sales Representative, Division Commercial Lines Underwriting Manager, and Regional Workers Compensation Manager.

From Safeco Insurance Company, Mr. Burkett worked for Frank B. Hall & Company as a Vice President in charge of Risk Management Services. From Frank B. Hall, Mr. Burkett assisted in establishing the Meadowbrook of Colorado office and focused on developing specialized group programs.

Paul Burkett delivers seminars as a National Instructor for Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) Courses, National Instructor for Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) Courses and a Nevada Independent Insurance Agents Association Instructor for numerous Personal and Commercial Insurance coverage topics.

Areas of Expertise:

• Insurance Company Good and Bad Faith
• Agent / Broker Standard of Care
• Insurance Industry Customs and Practices
• Risk Management
• Business Contract Insurance Clause Analysis and Application
• Insurance Coverage Analysis
• Insurance Claims Disputes Analysis

View Paul Burkett's Expert Witness Profile.

David Stegall is the Principal Consultant and Founder of Risk Consulting & Expert Services since January 1, 2007. He has over 40 years of insurance, reinsurance, bond and risk management industry experience. He is a Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter, an Associate in Risk Management, an Associate in Reinsurance and a Registered Professional Adjuster. He has experience as an underwriter, an agent, a broker, a surety bond producer, a reinsurer, a managing general agent, a third-party administrator, a captive manager, a selfinsured fund executive, a risk management consultant, an expert witness and has been retained as an arbitrator.

Mr. Stegall was President of the Society of Risk Management Consultants in 2017 and continues to serve on the Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Alabama Captive Association, a member of the Society of Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriters, the American Association of Insurance Management Consultants, the Society of Registered Professional Adjusters, ARIAS-US, Defense Research Institute, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association – Tort, Trial and Insurance Section.

PozmantierWilliams Insurance Consultants, LLC is an Insurance / Risk Management firm that offers clients negotiating expertise and depth of knowledge to optimize their coverage while in many cases reducing costs. Services Include:

• Design / Implement / Audit Insurance / Risk Management Programs
• Contractual Review and Recommendations
• Lease Analysis
• Broker Selection / Broker Services Review Advice
• Competitive Marketing of Insurance Programs
• Merger and Acquisition Due Diligence
• Executive Insurance Review
• Claims Services
• Captive / Alternative Risk Planning Services

Joe L. Williams, CPCU, partner in PozmantierWilliams Insurance Consultants, LLC, has over 49 years of experience as an Insurance Agent / Broker and Insurance Consultant. From 1970 until 2007, he was a principal shareholder in a large Houston firm, Wisenberg Insurance + Risk Management, and was Chairman and CEO when the firm was sold to a subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank. Mr. Williams is very familiar with all phases of the insurance industry, including consulting on bad faith, customs and practices, and standards of care. He has particular expertise in property coverage, business interruption, non-subscription, and risk transfer techniques. During the past several years, Mr. Williams has been a media contact for radio, television and news publications as an authoritative source of information about various insurance and risk management topics. He has taught numerous seminars on Business Insurance at the University of Houston. He has lectured and been a seminar leader on various insurance topics. View Joe Williams' Expert Witness Profile.

Olie R. Jolstad & Associates L.L.C. is an independent insurance and claims consulting firm representing both policyholders and insurance carriers in approximately 200 lawsuits. Our guiding principals are based on a careful review of the facts and evidence of individual cases, consistent with insurance industry customs, practices, and standards. Olie R. Jolstad & Associates L.L.C. specializes in:

• Commercial Insurance Coverage Analysis and Disputes
• Insurance Claims Handling
• Broker/Agent Standards of Care

Principal, Olie R. Jolstad, SCLA, FACFEI, has worked in the Insurance Industry for more than 37 years. Over the span of his career, Mr. Jolstad has worked with various types of civil litigation and forensic insurance policy reconstruction projects on behalf of policyholders. His areas of skill, knowledge, and expertise include coverage disputes, unfair and deceptive claims, claim settlement acts and practices concerning general liability, property, commercial auto, personal lines, business interruption, builders’ risk, excess and umbrella liability, aviation, workers’ compensation, loss sensitive rating plans, professional liability, errors and omissions, directors and officers, third-party claims administration, and Lloyd’s of London coverage and analysis. View Olie Jolstad's Expert Witness Profile.

Britta M. Moss CPCU, SCLA, AIC-M, is a graduate of The Ohio State University and a 25+ year veteran of the Property & Casualty Insurance industry.  She has claims experience in a wide variety of personal and commercial lines claims as a Claim Representative, Examiner, Supervisor, Trainer and Manager.

Ms. Moss handles, supervises, manages and provides training for claims involving auto damage, personal & commercial property damage, bodily injury, personal injury, property damage liability, commercial general liability, uninsured / underinsured motorists, medical payments, personal injury protection, and allegations of bad faith and extra-contractual exposure.

Consulting Services Include:

Claim Consultation & Training: 

• In-House Claims Consultation and Training available on a wide range of topics and highly beneficial for any party touched by the claim process, including adjusters, agents, CSRs, underwriters, sales reps, and legal counsel.
• Good faith claim handling, supervision and management, improvement of documentation skills & procedures, understanding & managing work environment pressures, maintaining credibility & mutual respect, managing corporate discovery demands, policy & procedure refinement.

Auditing 

• Flexibility to take on a wide range of audit projects, from complete claim portfolio reviews to focus audits. Objectively review factors that are often difficult to assess at ground level: handling/management consistency, reserve adequacy, process efficiency & effectiveness, training needs, reporting gaps, and bad faith, extra-contractual, and other volatile exposures.

Presentations

• Meetings, Seminars, or Panel Discussions on best practices and standards of care in claims investigation, evaluation, negotiation, and settlement, what they see on both sides of the aisle as experts, and bad faith litigation trends.

Britta Moss's Expert Witness Profile.

Key Coleman, CPA, CFA, CPCU, ARe is Executive Director and Founder of Litigation Economic & Forensic Consulting Group LLC. While his firm is located in Greater Philadelphia, his practice is nationwide. Mr. Coleman focuses his consulting practice on damages analysis in the context of commercial disputes, contract audits and investigations. Mr. Coleman has a specialty in the Insurance and Reinsurance Industry, having worked in or around the industry for over 30 years.  Prior to starting his own firm, he spent the bulk of his career in Chicago where he was a partner at a Big Four accounting firm and subsequently held high level positions at other nationally recognized accounting and consulting firms. Prior to his consulting career, he spent more than eight years in the insurance and reinsurance industry. His major investigative work includes having spent 4 years on the then-largest insurance investigation in history.  He is one of the few experts nationwide who holds both the CPA and the CPCU designations; he has significant depth in reinsurance, as well, enabling him to gain the 'big picture' when dealing with insurance and reinsurance issues.  He performs inspections of MGAs, TPAs, ceding companies, and insureds. An abbreviated list of his investigative and insurance specialties include:

Accounting, Forenisic Accounting and Investigations Analysis of accounting records Forensic accounting Investigative analysis Contract audits Consulting Services in Insurance and Reinsurance MGA/MGU audits or inspections Underwriting audits

Claims analysis Ceding company audits Premium audit analysis Insolvency and run-off analysis Workers’ Compensation Professional Employment Organizations (PEOs) Damages Analysis in Inurance and Reinsurance

View Key Coleman's Expert Witness Profile.

Lieberman Financial & Consulting Services, LLC provides high quality Financial Planning services and Insurance Investment to advice to clients in all walks of life. Principal, Maurice Lieberman, CLU, ChFC, RHU, LUTCF, has over 40 years of experience specializing in Life Insurance, Annuities, and Health Coverage.

Mr. Lieberman also offers Financial Planning Workshops and conduct large and small group seminars. He provides individual and family financial counseling sessions to active duty members of the United States Military (all branches.)

Mr. Lieberman holds three professional designations from the American College, Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant, and Registered Health Underwriter. He is a Life Insurance Training Council Fellow, and a member of the American College of Financial Services Professionals, Forensic Expert Witness Association, and the American College of Forensic Examiners International.

Background Experience - Mr. Lieberman started as an insurance agent for Metropolitan Life and then advanced in his career to manage brokers. He successfully built agencies for Aetna, and Principal Financial Group. He was later promoted to Regional Director for New England Financial, and CSAA Life. Over the years he mentored hundreds of insurance agents, brokers, financial planners and agency managers to build their own successful careers and agencies. He was also a member of the Million Dollar Round Table and utilized his selling and management experience to train insurance agents, brokers and financial planners in advanced areas of estate, business insurance, and financial planning.

View Maurice Lieberman's Expert Witness Profile.

Jim Leatzow has 46 years of "hands-on" practical, property / casualty insurance agency experience. Leatzow has literally worn "every hat there is to wear in the P/C insurance business. He provides expert & arbitration services nationally & internationally with no charge for travel time. He is articulate, efficient & equally comfortable within the U.S. & in foreign venues. His experience includes:

• 46 years national Property/Casualty insurance industry experience
• 30 years national, Property/Casualty insurance Agency Owner
• 23 years national, Property/Casualty Managing General Agent (MGA)
• 20 years national, Third Party Administrator (TPA) insurance claim adjuster
• 26 years Reinsurance experience & Company Founder/President
• 17 years Certified insurance Arbitrator (U.S. / U.K. / Bermuda) 
• 55 years Licensed Pilot with Commercial, Instrument, Multi & Seaplane Ratings 
• Still licensed in Illinois (46 years) & Wisconsin (38 years) 
• Licensed in all states for 20-25 years until 2005 (agency sold)
• Rule 26 Report specialization on complex cases 
• Bad Faith Expert qualified nationally 
• History of representing plaintiff & defense equally
• No charge for travel time "coast to coast"

Leatzow's specialties include: Agent-Broker-MGA standards of care / Bad Faith / Coverage / Agent-Broker E&O Claims / Agent-Broker custom & practice / Professional (E&O) Liability / Claims Adjusting Standard of Care / Claims-made coverage / Surplus Lines issues / Underwriting / Licensing / Property / General Liability /Aviation Insurance

Jeffrey D. Diamond specializes in Insurance Coverage Disputes and Litigation. He has established his law firm as one of the premier Insurance Coverage law firms in the Metro Atlanta area on behalf of policyholders, as well as throughout the State of Georgia and, as he was initially admitted to the State Bar of California in 1978, he serves policyholders in California, as well. 

In addition to his full time law practice, Mr. Diamond has served as an Adjunct Professor of Insurance Law since 1995 in both California and Georgia, having joined the Georgia State University College of Law faculty in 2009 as an Adjunct Professor of Insurance Law and, in 2012, he joined Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School in a similar capacity. 

Mr. Diamond  is also a law instructor for the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA), a national educational organization which conducts continuing education programs for financial professionals across the country, teaching in NACVA’s Expert Witness Bootcamp program. Mr. Diamond has been an invited guest speaker on topics of interest at numerous insurance conferences throughout the country. 

Over his 37 year career, Mr. Diamond has successfully represented policyholders, and formerly Insurance companies, in a wide variety of insurance coverage and bad faith actions including:

• Business Insurance Litigation
• Homeowners Insurance Litigation 
• Construction Defect Litigation
• General Business Property and Liability Claims
• Long Term Disability Claims
• Life Insurance Claims

 Litigation Support - Mr. Diamond's experience as an insurance litigator and insurance law professor allows him a unique perspective as a consulting expert witness. His extensive knowledge of insurance law and keen insights into insurance policy interpretation, as well as the covenant of good faith and fair dealing under each State’s insurance related statutes and case law, make him an exceptional consulting expert witness with regard to insurance coverage disputes and issues concerning insurance bad faith issues.

 View Jeffrey Diamond's Expert Witness Profile.

Janice A. Ramsay founded the law firm of Ramsay and Johnson, ALC in 1984. She merged her practice and that firm with Berger Kahn LLC in 1999. Since the late fall of 2007, she has primarily worked independently as an expert witness and consultant to other attorneys.

During her career, Ms. Ramsay has given advice on coverage questions, underwriting procedures, rescission rights, claims handling, and insurers legal and policy obligations. She is experienced with both commercial and personal lines policies. Ms. Ramsay is familiar with the business of insurance and the legal framework of that business and has performed the procedures that are unique to the claims process such as examinations under oath, and appraisals. She has drafted or revised insurance policies for several insurance companies and has handled coverage litigation.

Litigation Support - Ms. Ramsay has been retained in over 150 matters as an expert work during her law practice beginning as early as 1989. She has testified frequently in both deposition and trial on the standards and practices of the insurance industry. She has testified for insurers, insureds,brokers, and agents.

Types of Losses:

Fire Losses Organized Insurance Fraud Landslides Earthquakes Water Damage / Mold Defective Construction

Latent Defects Riots Acts of Civil Authority Business Interruption Suit Limitation Issues Mortgagee Rights

Speaking Engagements - Ms. Ramsay has frequently been a speaker and/or panelist for the Orange County Bar Association, PLRB Annual Conference, the Combined Claims Conference, and many more. She has also given in-house seminars for several insurers.

For 34 years, Steven Plitt has represented policyholders / insureds in litigation and trial as well as representing insurance companies in Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith matters. During his career, he has reviewed thousands of claim files from more than 100 insurance companies. He has regularly consulted with all levels of claim department management from claim adjusters, supervisors, branch claim managers, claim-legal personnel and executive level insurance company management. Mr. Plitt has also consulted with underwriting departments and participated with insurance company product development units and claims-legal to draft insurance policy language. He has reviewed and analyzed a broad spectrum of testimony from claims adjusters, claims management, claims attorneys, underwriters and other insurance company management as well as other insurance experts. He has reviewed an extensive variety of claims manuals, claims guidelines and other claims directives and practices. Mr. Plitt is a nationally recognized expert witness in insurance claim handling and bad faith cases and has been retained as an expert in hundreds of cases nationally. He has qualified in both state and Federal Courts as a claims handling and insurance expert. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Arizona where he teaches insurance law. Areas of Expertise:

Insurance Extra-contractual Bad Faith Claims / Breach of Contract Claims Claims Handling Practices Unfair Claims Practices Policy Interpretation Coverage Denials

Property & Casualty Insurance Personal & Commercial Lines Surplus Lines Excess & Umbrella Insurance Insurance Agent / Broker Errors & Omissions Miscellaneous Coverage

Mr. Plitt has an LL.M. in Insurance from the University of Connecticut. He is the current successor author to COUCH ON INSURANCE 3D where he and his team are rewriting and revising the entire treatise. He has written other books on insurance law. He has published in excess of 320 law reviews and other professional publications on insurance law in addition to his books. Mr. Plitt has been cited by the Supreme Courts in 32 states, the Intermediate Appellate Courts in 23 states, 10 of the Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal, 54 Federal District Courts, the Federal Court of Claims and Federal Bankruptcy Court. Mr. Plitt has been cited in the Code of Federal Regulations. Mr. Plitt has also been cited in 91 scholarly articles. Steven Plitt has been continuously listed as a top 50 lawyer in Arizona (2007-2014) by SOUTHWEST SUPER LAWYERS®, has been listed in BEST LAWYERS® since 2007 (insurance), and was named the Insurance Lawyer of the Year by BEST LAWYERS® in 2012 for Phoenix. He is a Fellow in the American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel and a Member of the American Law Institute where he is a consultive member on the development of the RESTATEMENT OF LIABILITY INSURANCE.

Ivan E. Cohen, RF, ARM, CRM, CIC, AIC, AAI, MLIS, CRIS, is a nationally recognized Insurance Expert with 44 years of Insurance and Risk Management experience.

In 1979, he opened his own agency where he still serves as president. Mr. Cohen has also been an Insurance educator for 41 years, serving as a senior adjunct professor at Westchester Community College in the Banking, Insurance, and Real Estate curriculum, and also on the curriculum advisory committee. He has taught for the Risk and Insurance Management Society, The National Alliance, Professional Insurance Agents of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of New York, and provides training and continuing education courses for agencies and companies. 

Mr. Cohen is a member of the Global Risk Management Institute, an associate member of the Risk and Insurance Management Society and holds the distinction of being a RIMS Fellow and has been a contributing insurance columnist for Risk Management Magazine.

Mr. Cohen delivers presentations and seminars throughout the country on topics including: 

Errors & Omissions - Agency Management - Risk Management - Law & Ethics - Casualty Coverage - Property Coverage

View Ivan Cohen's Expert Witness Profile.

HLN offers Peer-reviewed methodologies and Appellate court proven testimony by experienced professionals who have provided consulting services and conducted audits and investigations for hundreds of hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers nationwide. HLN's experts have provided expert testimony in administrative and regulatory proceedings, as well as in state and federal courts for civil and criminal cases, for plaintiffs and defendants.

HLN provides experts in: medical billing, reasonableness of charges, reasonable value of medical services, Medicare & Medicaid reimbursement and compliance, clinical documentation, medical record coding, economic damages, insurance disputes, lost profits and false claims. HLN's founder co-authored two editions of the AMA's best selling Mastering the Reimbursement Process book. 

HLN's Consultants include:

• Certified Public Accountants (CPA) 
• Certified Coding Specialists (CCS and CCS-P)
• Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) 
• Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) 
• Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) 
• Certified Healthcare Chart Auditor (CHCA) 
• Certified Professional Coder (CPC and CPC-H) 
• Licensed Insurance Agents
  
• RNs, MDs, DOs and DCs
• Financial Analysts
• Statisticians