Insurance Bad Faith Consultants

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.

Allan Windt specializes in the areas of Insurance Coverage, Duty to Settle and Bad Faith. In over 30 years in the insurance business, he has handled more than 10,000 claims for more than 70 insurance companies and hundreds of insureds in all 50 states. Mr. Windt has served as an expert witness in dozens of states.

He is the author of Insurance Claims & Disputes, Representation of Insurers and Insureds, West, 1982 first edition, 1988 second edition, 1996 third edition, 2001 fourth edition, and 2007 fifth edition. Mr. Windt's books have been cited as authoritative by more than 300 courts throughout the country.

Paul F. Amoruso, CPCU, has more than 45 years of experience working for several major insurance carriers as a Senior Vice President of Claims and Operations. As a licensed insurance agent in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Florida, an New Jersey and licensed public adjuster, he is uniquely qualified to assist either plaintiff or defense attorneys on insurance related issues on local or national issues.

If you are an insurance company, insured, or law firm and need an independent review of an insurance issue regarding litigation, agency or company operations, practices or procedures, he is available to assist.

Mr. Amoruso has served as an Expert Witness in many states in both State and Federal court . Having worked in all operation areas of the insurance industry he is able to testify to the generally observed and accepted industry practices.

Areas of Expertise:

• Insurance Customs and Practices
• Company Policies
• Management Involvement
• Proper Staffing
• Coverage Denial
• Agency and Insurance Company Relationships
• Case Evaluation
• Reserve Policies
• Workers Compensation
• Liability Personal or Commercial
• Commercial and Personal Property Losses
• Authority Level
• Industry Ethics and Norms
• Bad Faith
• Claims Handling Practices
• Insurance Company Operations

Archuleta & Associates Investigative Services, a Division of Archuleta & Associates, Inc., has been providing investigative services within various industries since 1982. They are the overwhelming leaders within the CA Central Valley.

The clientele of Archuleta & Associates, Inc. consists of every level of business, from both the private and public sector. Due to the wide range of services provided and their 25 years within the industry, they have worked with an extremely diverse and vast clientele base, from the largest of litigation firms to the smallest of personal clients.

Robert A. Archuleta launched his career as a Private Investigator in 1983, after five years as an officer, investigator and sergeant for the Lodi Police Department, followed by stints as an engineering contractor and a deputy U.S. Marshal. Among his other clientele, Mr. Archuleta has been as an Expert Witness for the Department of Consumer Affairs for the State of California.

Services Include:

Accident Reconstruction AOE / COE Civil Litigation Copyright Infringement Criminal Defense Criminal Prosecution General Engineering GPS Location / Tracking

Insurance Bad Faith Insurance Defense Seminar Training Surveillance Traffic Reconstruction Video Evidence Voice Stress Analyzation Workers Compensation

Barrington Capital Management, Inc. provides customized financial solutions for unique financial challenges and objectives. Their expertise is in the development, implementation and ongoing management of a customized and diversified investment strategy. Barrington's mission is to assist in building, enhancing, and protecting personal wealth and maintaining financial security. President and Chief Executive Officer, Bob Lawson, has over 35 years of financial services experience as an Investment Advisory and Insurance Agency Executive, Securities Principal, and Options Principal. Bob proudly serves as an industry arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the National Futures Association (NFA), a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), ERISA (3)-21 Fiduciary, Master Registered Financial Consultant, and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary. In addition to teaching advanced investment strategies and Retirement Planning classes throughout the year. 

Bob Lawson has special expertise in stock options and has presented the following Options Industry Council (OIC) seminars to retail and industry professionals throughout the United States:

Options Basics Options Intermediate Advanced Options

Covered Calls Options Spreads Option Volatility

View Bob Lawson's Expert Witness Profile.

  

Mr. Beringer is Principal of Beringer & Associates (B&A), a Liability Program Management Firm. Mr. Beringer is an approved consultant by the A.M. Best organization for liability and insurance program management, including construction, OCIP, TPA, JPA, Captives, and Memorandum of Coverage and insurance coverage analysis.  

Credentials: LPCS American Institute of Insurance Studies; RPA Registered Professionals Adjuster Association. Graduate of the Mediation Center and qualified under FEHA for investigations. Liability Manager for ICRMA, BICEP, et al. 

Well over 15,000 litigated cases were resolved by the efforts of Mr. Beringer during his employment in the insurance industry and as a private practitioner in his over 50 years in the claims and risk management industry.

Peter J. Bondy FSA, MAAA, has more than 45 years of experience as an Actuary and a Financial Services Professional. He has served as a corporate executive, as a corporate director, and as a consultant domestically and internationally. Mr. Bondy has extensive experience with insurance company and reinsurer matters and practices ranging from basic business practices to matters involving financial projections and valuations as well as sales practices. He has served on corporate boards and brings a broad understanding of the issues involved. A published author, Mr. Bondy has delivered lectures and spoken frequently around the country. He is fluent in English and Spanish, his first language. Litigation Support - Having had experience with many complex projects throughout his career, Mr. Bondy is able to serve as an expert consultant or as an expert witness for complex matters and issues regarding annuities, insurance, reinsurance, emerging mortality, experience issues, and corporate matters. He provides a broad range of litigation support services to attorneys representing both plaintiff and defendant. Areas of Expertise

• Actuary / Actuarial
• Reinsurance
• Economic Loss
• Joint Marital Property
• Mortality and Life Expectancy
• Life Settlements
• Valuation of Life Care Plans
• Valuation of Streams of Contingent Future Payments
• Usufruct Arrangements
• Private Annuities
• Insurance : Life / Health / Annuities / Disability
• Life Settlements / Structured Settlement Annuities
• Appraisal and Performance Evaluation of: Life Insurance / Life Settlement Transactions / Annuity Benefits / Retirement Benefits

BTI Appraisal is a broad-based appraisal company which provides a consistently high level of Real Estate Appraisals, Business Valuations, and Machinery and Equipment Appraisals for Business, Professional, Public and Private Sectors.

When you choose BTI Appraisal, you benefit from a strong tradition of experience and accuracy. A corporate philosophy stressing efficiency and attentive service has made us a leader among independent appraisers. We are proud of our reputation for stability, responsiveness, and accomplishment in and out of the courtroom.

At BTI, our seasoned staff of success oriented professionals treats each assignment with precise attention to detail, providing needed research and responsive service on a wide range of appraisal needs.

Expert Profile: BTI’s Founder and Chairman, Ben F. Tunnell III, has headed the firm since 1974. Previously, he spent eight years with First Interstate Bank of California as vice president at their corporate headquarters in Los Angeles. He served on the board of arbitrators for both the American Arbitration Association and the Better Business Bureau. He has also been a Registered Investment Advisor and Broker/Dealer with the Securities and Exchange Commission and a licensed, California Real Estate Broker.

Mr. Tunnell is an ASA, the senior designation of the American Society of Appraisers, and a California Certified General Real Estate Appraiser #AG-6964. He has qualified and testified in Federal and Superior Courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings as an expert witness in business valuations, real estate, and machinery and equipment appraisals.

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.

Vera Dolan is an epidemiologist with over 30 years of experience in the life and health insurance industries. She is one of the leading mortality experts in the life insurance industry. She writes underwriting manuals and policy and procedure manuals for life and health insurance companies.

Vera has testified in both state and federal court, and has been retained in over 150 cases since 2006 for plaintiffs and defense on an equal basis. She is very credible testifying in deposition and on the stand.

* Life expectancies that are personalized and accurate to the standards of the life insurance and life settlement industries. Addresses the cases when life expectancies that are simply taken from a life table or estimated by a doctor, actuary or biostatistician are too long, too short, insufficient or not credible. Addresses the cases when a complete insight into the individual's medical conditions and/or personal history of high-risk behaviors is needed to assist the judge or jury in their decision. This information often decides the case, see article for details.

* Expert in bad faith/wrongful denial of life/health insurance claims.

* Expert in life/health insurance underwriting material misrepresentation.

* Expert in medical risk assessment and underwriting issues.

* Expert in life insurance underwriting policies and procedures.

* Expert in epidemiology. Previous cases include infectious diseases, occupational and environmental exposures, pesticides and tobacco.

* Approved life expectancy expert with the U.S. Department of Justice.

* Active consultant to the life insurance industry conducting cohort mortality studies, and writing underwriting and policy and procedure manuals.

* Over 100 articles published on mortality research and underwriting.

* Friendly, clear, concise, objective and quantitative.

* There is no charge for the initial phone consultation.

* There is no charge for travel time.

David Haass is the COO of Elite Insurance Partners & MedicareFAQ. A visionary with experience propelling innovation in the Insurance field, he is highly regarded for driving industry standards in client experience and cutting-edge technologies. Mr. Haass is an active contributor on the Forbes Financial Council, recognized for building brand trust and establishing strong customer relations, motivated by a genuine desire to demystify health insurance options. 

Mr. Haass and his team at EIP represent over 30 carriers throughout the nation. They work with clients nationally, helping them make educated decisions on all their healthcare insurance needs. EIP ranks in the top 5 Medicare brokerages in the nation and their licensed agents are considered to be the best in the Medicare insurance industry.

EIP's primary market is Medicare, but they also help with: 

Dental Insurance Vision Insurance Cancer Insurance Heart Attack insurance

Stroke Insurance Long-Term Care Insurance Disability Insurance  HMO / PPO Insurance

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.

Roy Theophilus Bent, Jr., CEO of Houston Auto Appraisers, is a well known and respected expert and consultant in the automotive industry. He holds numerous licenses and credentials as an ASE Certified Mechanic, I-Car Collision Specialist, Licensed Auto Appraiser, Insurance Adjuster, Umpire, Mediator, Arbitrator, Classic Car Judge, and Vintage Car Historian. An IACP Certified Auto Appraiser and Field Inspector, Mr. Bent offers appraisal services to insurance companies, attorneys, banks, credit unions, lenders, agricultural credit corporations, accountants, government agencies, auctioneers, farmers, ranchers, transportation companies, and individual consumers. He provides the following selected consulting services:

• Diminished Value Appraisals
• Total Loss / Stolen Vehicle Appraisals
• Certified Real Estate Appraisers and Texas Homeowners Insurance Claims Assistance
• Industrial, Construction & Heavy Equipment Appraisals
• Tractor Trailer and Equipment Appraisals
• Recreational Vehicles
• Motor Homes
• Travel Trailer Appraisals

KPRC 2 Houston News Interview with Roy Bent on Diminished Value Mr. Bent is the seated President of the Bureau of Certified Auto Appraisers (BOCAA), a National Professional Appraisal Credentialing Organization that has trained, tested, and certified over 2,400 students under his leadership in the practices of IACP Certified Auto Appraisals and Litigation assistance. In addition to his appraisal services, Mr. Bent offers  Appraisal Training Certification courses designed to properly train and educate the appraiser with the minimum requirements set forth by the Bureau of Certified Auto Appraisers. BOCAA courses include:

• IACP Certification Exam - To provide suitable training and education to the auto appraisal professional. IACPSM Certified Appraisers follow strict adherence the Bureaus’ Code of Ethics and USPAP guidelines
• Texas Adjusters Pre-Licensing Course - 40-hour Texas Adjusters Pre-licensing course approved by the Texas Department of Insurance as an alternative method of obtaining your Texas Adjusters Property & Casualty license

Auto Appraisals for Law Enforcement Agencies - Roy Theophilus Bent, Jr., IACP Certified Auto Appraiser & Expert Witness is regularly retained by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), U.S. Marshals Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Police Departments to assist with white-collar crimes, vehicular homicide crimes, and felony drug crimes resulting in Federal Criminal Forfeitures, Civil Judicial Forfeitures, Administrative Forfeitures & Seizures of rightfully seized and wrongfully seized assets and personal property including Exotic Luxury Cars, Luxury Motor Homes, Travel Trailers, Custom Motorcycles, and other valuable assets.

View Roy T. Bent's Expert Witness Profile.

Ivan E. Cohen RF, ARM, CRM, CIC, AAI, MLIS, CRIS, CPIA, has 38 years of experience in the Insurance Industry serving as an agent and broker. In 1979, he opened his own agency where he still serves as president.

Mr. Cohen served for 13 years as a senior adjunct professor at Westchester Community College in the Banking, Insurance, and Real Estate curriculum and also served 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 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.

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.