Zalma on Insurance
Education • Business
Insurance Claims professional presents articles and videos on insurance, insurance Claims and insurance law for insurance Claims adjusters, insurance professionals and insurance lawyers who wish to improve their skills and knowledge. Presented by an internationally recognized expert and author.
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January 04, 2022

Insurance Education from Barry Zalma​

Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/claimschool-inc-insurance-education-barry-zalma-esq-cfe and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4000 posts.

Barry Zalma Presents What Your Insurance Organization Needs.

Mr. Zalma’s presentations are practical, thought-provoking, entertaining and will fit easily into any budget.

Enthusiastically committed to professionalism in insurance and insurance claims Mr. Zalma positively influences other insurance professionals through the spoken and written word.

Mr. Zalma specializes in clarifying the importance of insurance in a modern society and in making insurance understandable. He also provides everything needed by the insurance claims professional to complete the thorough investigation of a property, casualty or liability claim efficiently, equitably, empathetically and in good faith.

How Will You or Your Group or Organization Benefit from Working with Barry Zalma?

You can expect live or video presentations supplemented with texts

Live Training Available

Barry Zalma Presents What Your Insurance Organization Needs.

The Excellence in Claims Handling Program Will Cover:

How to Read and Understand an Insurance Policy;

The loss notice.

The first contact with the insured presenting a claim.

The first contact with a third party claimant presenting a claim against an insured.

Underwriting for the claims professional.

The recorded statement.

Locating and taking recorded statement of independent witnesses.

Locating and obtaining information from governmental entities.

Preparing an agreed scope of loss with an insured or the insured’s public insurance adjuster.

Preparing a captioned report to insurance company management.

Preparing a statement of loss.

Negotiating a first party claim with an insured.

Negotiating a third party claim with a claimant or lawyer.

Preparing a sworn proof of loss with an insured after agreement.

Requiring an insured to submit a sworn proof of loss if agreement cannot be reached.

Preparing a release of all claims after reaching settlement with a claimant or claimant’s counsel

Barry Zalma will customize a talk and speak on any insurance topic you require.

Subscribe to “Zalma on Insurance” at https://zalmaoninsurance.locals.com/subscribe where you can access the program “Excellence in Claims Handling” for a small fee.

If you want to license the full “Excellence in Claims Handling” program for use by your entire organization a license is available for a one time license fee of only $1,000.00 by contacting Mr. Zalma at [email protected].

RUMBLE.COM FREE VIDEOS

There are now available 347 FREE Videos at https://rumble.com/zalma where you can learn about insurance, insurance claims, insurance claims handling, insurance law, and insurance education.

CONTACT BARRY ZALMA & LEARN ABOUT CLAIMSCHOOL, INC. FREE MATERIALS

Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
What else you may like…
Videos
Posts
10 hours ago
Public Adjuster Immediately Retained but Insurer Not Notified

Insured Must Give Prompt Notice of Loss
Post 5256

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gBXRbKXD, see the video at https://lnkd.in/g4DKfUDz and at https://lnkd.in/g65V_RQ7 and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5250 posts.

Once The Insured Knows There is Damage It is Obligated to Report the Loss to the Insurer

In Greater St. Stephen Ministries, Inc. v. Mt. Hawley Insurance Company, No. 24-cv-3130 (AS), United States District Court, S.D. New York (January 2, 2026) resolved a case brought by a church against an insurance company for denying coverage after Hurricane Ida. After discovery, the insurance company moved for summary judgment because it claimed the insured breached a material condition of the policy.

BACKGROUND

Greater St. Stephen Ministries, Inc., a church located in Louisiana, owned property that suffered damage from Hurricane Ida on August 29, 2021. The property was insured under a policy with Mt. Hawley Insurance Company, which required the insured to provide “prompt notice” of any loss or damage, ...

00:09:19
10 hours ago
Public Adjuster Immediately Retained but Insurer Not Notified

Insured Must Give Prompt Notice of Loss
Post 5256

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gBXRbKXD, see the video at https://lnkd.in/g4DKfUDz and at https://lnkd.in/g65V_RQ7 and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5250 posts.

Once The Insured Knows There is Damage It is Obligated to Report the Loss to the Insurer

In Greater St. Stephen Ministries, Inc. v. Mt. Hawley Insurance Company, No. 24-cv-3130 (AS), United States District Court, S.D. New York (January 2, 2026) resolved a case brought by a church against an insurance company for denying coverage after Hurricane Ida. After discovery, the insurance company moved for summary judgment because it claimed the insured breached a material condition of the policy.

BACKGROUND

Greater St. Stephen Ministries, Inc., a church located in Louisiana, owned property that suffered damage from Hurricane Ida on August 29, 2021. The property was insured under a policy with Mt. Hawley Insurance Company, which required the insured to provide “prompt notice” of any loss or damage, ...

00:09:19
January 07, 2026
Broker's Failure to Obtain Insurance Ordered Causes Litigation

New Trial Because Jury Used Policy That Provides No Coverage to Assess Damages

Post 5255

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/drG3xH2R, see the video at https://lnkd.in/d6p8e-9p and at https://lnkd.in/dgPsQ3Sn, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5250 posts.

In Brown & Brown of Florida, Inc. v. Houligan’s Pub & Club, Inc., and Ormond Wine Company, LLC, Nos. 5D2024-2352, 5D2024-2458, Florida Court of Appeals (January 2, 2026) the Court of Appeals was faced with a case of first impression that involved damages from a hurricane that hit the East Coast of Florida almost a decade ago and the extent to which an insurance broker is responsible for paying for such damages.

The jury entered a verdict in favor of the insurance broker on the insured’s claim that it was negligent in failing to procure insurance, but it found in favor of the insured on claims of breach of fiduciary duty and negligent misrepresentation.

The insurance broker does not contest it breached its duties on these two claims, only ...

00:08:01
December 31, 2025
“Sudden” is the Opposite of “Gradual”

Court Must Follow Judicial Precedent
Post 5252

Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sudden-opposite-gradual-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-h7qmc, see the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5250 posts.

Insurance Policy Interpretation Requires Application of the Judicial Construction Doctrine

In Montrose Chemical Corporation Of California v. The Superior Court Of Los Angeles County, Canadian Universal Insurance Company, Inc., et al., B335073, Court of Appeal, 337 Cal.Rptr.3d 222 (9/30/2025) the Court of Appeal refused to allow extrinsic evidence to interpret the word “sudden” in qualified pollution exclusions (QPEs) as including gradual but unexpected pollution. The court held that, under controlling California appellate precedent, the term “sudden” in these standard-form exclusions unambiguously includes a temporal element (abruptness) and cannot reasonably be construed to mean ...

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December 29, 2025
Doctor Accused of Insurance Fraud Sues Insurer Who Accused Him

Lack of Jurisdiction Defeats Suit for Defamation

Post 5250

Posted on December 29, 2025 by Barry Zalma

See the video at and at

He Who Represents Himself in a Lawsuit has a Fool for a Client

In Pankaj Merchia v. United Healthcare Services, Inc., Civil Action No. 24-2700 (RC), United States District Court, District of Columbia (December 22, 2025)

FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Parties & Claims:

The plaintiff, Pankaj Merchia, is a physician, scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur, proceeding pro se. Merchia sued United Healthcare Services, Inc., a Minnesota-based medical insurance company, for defamation and related claims. The core allegation is that United Healthcare falsely accused Merchia of healthcare fraud, which led to his indictment and arrest in Massachusetts, causing reputational and business harm in the District of Columbia and nationwide.

Underlying Events:

The alleged defamation occurred when United ...

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December 15, 2025
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter – December 15, 2025

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/dG829BF6; see the video at https://lnkd.in/dyCggZMZ and at https://lnkd.in/d6a9QdDd.

ZIFL Volume 29, Issue 24

Subscribe to the e-mail Version of ZIFL, it’s Free! https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001Gb86hroKqEYVdo-PWnMUkcitKvwMc3HNWiyrn6jw8ERzpnmgU_oNjTrm1U1YGZ7_ay4AZ7_mCLQBKsXokYWFyD_Xo_zMFYUMovVTCgTAs7liC1eR4LsDBrk2zBNDMBPp7Bq0VeAA-SNvk6xgrgl8dNR0BjCMTm_gE7bAycDEHwRXFAoyVjSABkXPPaG2Jb3SEvkeZXRXPDs%3D

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 29th year of publication dedicated to those involved in reducing the effect of insurance fraud. ZIFL is published 24 times a year by ClaimSchool and is written by Barry Zalma. It is provided FREE to anyone who visits the site at http://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter

Merry Christmas & Happy Hannukah

Read the following Articles from the December 15, 2025 issue:

Read the full 19 page issue of ZIFL at ...

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