The Tort Of Bad Faith And Construction Defects
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Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/second-edition-volume-five-construction-defects-zalma-esq-cfe and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4050 posts.
Construction defects have grown into one of the most active areas of litigation in the United States.
This, the fifth volume, of the eight-volume series is the newest addition to Barry Zalma’s insurance claims books that thoroughly explain how to identify construction defects, how to insure, investigate, prosecute, and defend cases that result from construction defect claims.
Construction Defects & Insurance addresses a wide range of topics associated with this escalating and expensive problem. As you read through the various volumes and pages, you will find comprehensive insights into:
The construction process
Risks to be managed
What is required in an application for insurance protecting the insured against the risks of loss anticipated from construction
How to acquire the correct and complete construction insurance
How insurers underwrite against construction defect claims
How insurers decide to insure/not insure
Confronting losses caused by construction defects
Litigation or alternative dispute resolution of construction defect claims
Barry Zalma, has more than 54 years’ practical experience in this area. He is a highly sought after consultant and insurance claims handling expert witness nationally.
In this eight-volume treatise he has also provided checklists that walk the reader through an analysis of construction defects, the process of purchasing and later invoking construction defect insurance, and what is necessary to prosecute or defend a construction defect lawsuit. The books also include helpful sample forms to assist in the identification of defects and numerous case studies to illustrate the state of litigation.
Thorough, yet practical, this series of books form the ideal guide for any professional who works in or frequently interacts with the construction industry, construction defect insurance or the legal practice.
Claims professionals, risk managers, producers, underwriters, attorneys (both plaintiff and defense), and business owners will benefit greatly from the multiple volumes. It is also the perfect resource for insurance educators, trainers, and students whose role requires an understanding of construction defect law and construction insurance law.
As you read through the various volumes of Construction Defects and Insurance, you will find comprehensive—yet comprehensible—coverage of key topics, including:
What is a structure?
How is a structure built?
The building.
The construction contract.
Plans and Specifications
The Property Inspection.
The Defects
Understanding insurance and underwriting.
Construction Defect Policies.
Liability Insurance.
Insurance Bad Faith.
The Construction Defect Suit.
Tort Defenses.
The Trial.
Evaluation and Settlement.
Alternative Dispute Resolution.
This product may include information which is proprietary to Insurance Services Office, Inc. ISO does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of the ISO information provided. ISO shall not be liable for any loss or damage of any kind and howsoever caused resulting from your use of the ISO information.
This, the fifth volume of the treatise Construction Defects & Insurance, includes materials concerning the Tort of Bad Faith as it relates to construction defect claims and suits.
In this volume you will see material including:
Overview
Bad Faith
Duties of the Insurer
Duties of the Insured
Avoiding Charges of Bad Faith
Survey of Bad Faith by State
Defenses to the Tort of Bad Faith
Required Continuing Education
The first five volumes of “Construction Defects and Insurance” have been upgraded to a Kindle book, a paperback or a hardcover.
© 2022 – Barry Zalma
Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE, now limits his practice to service as an insurance consultant specializing in insurance coverage, insurance claims handling, insurance bad faith and insurance fraud almost equally for insurers and policyholders.
He practiced law in California for more than 44 years as an insurance coverage and claims handling lawyer and more than 54 years in the insurance business.
Subscribe to “Zalma on Insurance” at https://zalmaoninsurance.locals.com/subscribe and “Excellence in Claims Handling” at https://barryzalma.substack.com/welcome.
You can contact Mr. Zalma at https://www.zalma.com, https://www.claimschool.com, [email protected] and [email protected] . Mr. Zalma is the first recipient of the first annual Claims Magazine/ACE Legend Award.
You may find interesting the podcast “Zalma On Insurance” at https://anchor.fm/barry-zalma; you can follow Mr. Zalma on Twitter at; you should see Barry Zalma’s videos on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg; or videos on https://rumble.com/zalma. Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://zalma.com/blog/insurance-claims–library/ The last two issues of ZIFL are available at https://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/
No Right to Subrogation Against Tenant
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Not Fair to Require Tenant to Pay for Damage Insured by LandlordSee the video at https://lnkd.in/gFkrp_6M and at https://lnkd.in/gQdFQBWj and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.
See the video at and at
For Insurer to Subrogate Lease Must Require Tenant to Obtain Insurance for the Benefit of the Landlord
In AmGUARD Insurance Co. v. Tyrone Ellis and Shakyra Ellis, U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut Civil No. 3:25-cv-946 (JCH) (November 19, 2025), Judge, Janet C. Hall the defendant’s Motion to Dismiss the Amended Complaint on the basis of Connecticut’s anti-subrogation doctrine required dismissal.
KEY FACTS
Landlord Michael Caldwell, a Connecticut citizen, owned a multi-family building in Windsor, Connecticut. Defendants Tyrone and Shakyra Ellis were residential tenants in the building. On or about March 1, 2025, a fire ...
Debt Resulting from Fraud is Not Dischargeable in Bankruptcy
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Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gpF3y7Vd, see the video at https://lnkd.in/gR5cVcbY and at https://lnkd.in/gch6Q4_V, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.
Knowing Misappropriation and Conversion of Funds is Fraud
In re Matthew Jene Tubbs (Bankr. N.D. Tex., Fort Worth Div., No. 22-42728-MXM-7; Adv. No. 23-04019-mxm), October 15, 2025 .
Key Facts
Plaintiffs (Robles) and Defendant (Tubbs) met through their church; both held leadership roles. In Feb 2021 Robles home suffered major water damage from Winter Storm Uri and insurance paid $173,000.
In the Fall of 2021: Tubbs represented to Mr. Robles that he personally built a newer house and large barn on his parents’ property “with his own hands” (except foundation/insulation). That he had 10 years’ experience overseeing window/door installations at a major home-improvement chain, was a licensed contractor (false) and carried general contractor liability insurance.
Relying on ...
See full video at https://lnkd.in/gtnsH3SW and at https://lnkd.in/geJ4FseF, and at https://zalma.com/ and at https://lnkd.in/gC2wmzqZ.
ZIFL-Volume 29 Number 22
THE SOURCE FOR THE INSURANCE FRAUD PROFESSIONAL
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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/
Read the full 20 page issue of ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ZIFL-11-15-2025-1.pdf
Man Bites Dog Story – Hertz Sues Alleged Fraudsters
Hertz Successfully Refuses to Pay Alleged Fraudulent Health Care Providers
Proactive Victim of Fraud Defeats Health Care Providers
More McClenny Moseley & Associates Issues
This is ZIFL’s thirty eighth installment of the saga of McClenny, Moseley & Associates and its problems with the federal courts in the State of Louisiana and what appears to be ...
The Professional Claims Handler
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Posted on October 31, 2025 by Barry Zalma
An Insurance claims professionals should be a person who:
Can read and understand the insurance policies issued by the insurer.
Understands the promises made by the policy.
Understand their obligation, as an insurer’s claims staff, to fulfill the promises made.
Are competent investigators.
Have empathy and recognize the difference between empathy and sympathy.
Understand medicine relating to traumatic injuries and are sufficiently versed in tort law to deal with lawyers as equals.
Understand how to repair damage to real and personal property and the value of the repairs or the property.
Understand how to negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement with the insured that is fair and reasonable to both the insured and the insurer.
How to Create Claims Professionals
To avoid fraudulent claims, claims of breach of contract, bad faith, punitive damages, unresolved losses, and to make a profit, insurers ...
The History Behind the Creation of a Claims Handling Expert
The Insurance Industry Needs to Implement Excellence in Claims Handling or Fail
Post 5210
This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry. This statement of my philosophy on claims handling starts with my history as a claims adjuster, insurance defense and coverage lawyer and insurance claims handling expert.
My Training to be an Insurance Claims Adjuster
When I was discharged from the US Army in 1967 I was hired as an insurance adjuster trainee by a professional and well respected insurance company. The insurer took a chance on me because I had been an Army Intelligence Investigator for my three years in the military and could use that training and experience to be a basis to become a professional insurance adjuster.
I was initially sat at a desk reading a text-book on insurance ...
The History Behind the Creation of a Claims Handling Expert
The Insurance Industry Needs to Implement Excellence in Claims Handling or Fail
Post 5210
This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry. This statement of my philosophy on claims handling starts with my history as a claims adjuster, insurance defense and coverage lawyer and insurance claims handling expert.
My Training to be an Insurance Claims Adjuster
When I was discharged from the US Army in 1967 I was hired as an insurance adjuster trainee by a professional and well respected insurance company. The insurer took a chance on me because I had been an Army Intelligence Investigator for my three years in the military and could use that training and experience to be a basis to become a professional insurance adjuster.
I was initially sat at a desk reading a text-book on insurance ...
