Insurance Agent / Broker - Standards of Care Consultants: 20

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.

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.

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 has performed 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.

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 

Frederick J. Fisher, JD, is the President of Fisher Consulting Group, Inc. and was the Founder of E.L.M. Insurance Brokers, a Wholesale & MGA facility specializing in Professional Liability and Specialty Line risks. He is a Member of the Editorial Board for Agents of America; a Faculty Member of the Claims College, and Member of the Executive Council, School of Professional Lines sponsored by the Claims & Litigation Management Association and a course designer and webinar Instructor for the Academy of Insurance. 

Consulting - Since his career began, Mr. Fisher focused on one vision: providing financial security to the client. The result was a successful 40 year career in Specialty Lines Insurance which have resulted in substantial cost savings for clients. He provides consulting and audit services in all areas of Professional Liability, D&O, and EPLI Insurance. This includes Processes, Underwriting, Claims, and Product Distribution. 

Background - In 1975, Mr. Fisher began his career on the service side, as an Independent E&O claims adjuster. In 1982, he bought the Company and increased annual billings by 400% in only 4 years. In 1995, he formed what is now known as ELM insurance Brokers, a firm that has acted as an MGA and Wholesale Broker of Professional Liability Insurance and Specialty Lines. From nothing, the firm grew rapidly to a $30 Million dollar facility when sold in 2008. 

Author and Speaker - Frederick Fisher has lectured extensively on professional liability issues since 1978, and authored over 64 articles in trade journals and periodicals. He is the author of BROKER BEWARE, Selling Real Estate within the Law. Mr. Fisher remains a Special Materials Expert for several RPLU courses and is the Senior Technical Advisor for The Professional Liability Manual, first published by the International Risk Management Institute in 1990. He has taught over 100 CE classes and lectures. Mr. Fisher can be reached at: fjfisher@fishercg.com

View Frederick Fisher's Expert Witness Profile.

CMC Advisors Inc. (CMC) provides expert Insurance Consulting and offers clients the upper hand in managing their assets and liabilities. They assist clients in managing investment portfolios by helping to determine if current Financial Retirement plans such as IRA, Roth IRA, Rollover IRA, 401(K), Keogh Plans, Pensions and Profit Sharing Plans are meeting retirement goals.

Consulting Areas:

Annuities Life Insurance Term Insurance Single Premium Variable Insurance

Retirement Disability Insurance Consultant Expert Witness Services

Wayne Citron has 45 years of experience as an expert in Forensic Reconstruction of Insurance Transactions. He is an insurance expert and consultant.

Mr. Citron established the Citron Agency and CMC Advisors Inc. in 1972, where his duties included executive and managerial responsibilities, sales, service, compliance with all insurance matters as well as securities laws and regulations. Both firms are leaders in life, health, disability and property and casualty insurance.

Mr. Citron has served as an instructor for Prudential Insurance Company Brooklyn Agency (1973) educating personnel in general insurance matters, underwriting, and insurance law. He has worked with companies including Prudential Insurance Company, United States Life Insurance Company, North American Company for Life and Health Insurance, American General Life Insurance Company, William Penn Life Insurance Company, American Life Insurance Company, Chubb Insurance Company, Travelers Insurance Company, Mass Mutual Insurance Company, John Hancock Insurance Company, and American International Group (AIG), among other.

Mr. Citron recently volunteered for Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group (OCLTRG) to reopen Super Storm Sandy flood claims and examine National Flood Insurance Policies, as well as deal with FEMA in these matters (2015 & 2016).

View Wayne Citron's Expert Witness Profile.

Clarity Concepts, Inc. provides risk consulting and training services that help develop businesses into a high-functioning organization through specially designed consulting and training programs that suit both individual and corporate needs. 

Clarity Concepts, Inc.'s Services:

Corporate strategy Enterprise Risk Management Outsourced Risk Management Insurance Program Analysis Claims reduction through Risk Control

Corporate Governance Consulting and Training Organizational / Group Training Teambuilding for Organizational Effectiveness Strategic Innovation Training Crisis Management Planning

Principal, Jane Marie Downey, M.Ed, ARM, has over 35 years of experience in Risk Management and Property, Casualty, and Professional Liability Insurance. A well-known risk management consultant, leadership trainer, and frequent public speaker, she provides risk consulting, insurance broker management, outsourced risk management, as well as leadership and team training. Her risk management clients have included Schott Corporation, Carl Zeiss, Inc., Main Line Health Systems, Genencor International, Entech Creative Industries, Saint-Gobain Corp., Commerce National Insurance Services, Napco and CIGNA International. 

Background - Ms. Downey’s corporate experience includes risk management positions with IU International, PaineWebber Group, Inc., and The West Company. She also worked as an Account Executive in insurance brokerage with the Hobbs Group, now part of Willis.

 She taught Risk Management at Temple University's Fox School and Crisis Management at Penn State's Graduate Program. She currently teaches Continuing Educations courses for brokers and agents for the Institute of Strategic Educational Parners. 

View Jane Downey's Expert Witness Profile.