Zalma on Insurance
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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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July 10, 2022
Excellence in Claims Handling at Locals.com

A Place to Learn Excellence in Claims Handling
Barry Zalma

Every Insurer is Obligated to Maintain a Professional Claims Staff

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/ghYXHqur

Excellence in Claims Handling at Locals.co and see the video at https://lnkd.in/grN-3ubG and at https://lnkd.in/ggpuewAD; see the introductory video at https://lnkd.in/grwu3i_M and at https://lnkd.in/gr98_xC2, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4250 posts.

Posted on July 9, 2022 by Barry Zalma

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See the video at https://rumble.com/v1br3xb-xcellence-in-claims-handling-at-locals.com.html and at

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Subscribe to the Excellence in Claims Handling program at zalmaoninurance.locals.com. and receive the videos limited to subscribers of Excellence in Claims Handling at locals.com by clicking on the following link https://zalmaoninsurance.locals.com/subscribe. Subscribe to become a supporter. Get access to all content and interact with Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE and the Zalma on Insurance Community.

See the introductory video at

and at https://rumble.com/vrhaka-excellence-in-claims-handling.html

There are presently six videos posted with hundreds to come.

Insurance is a business. It must change if it is to survive. It must rethink the firing of experienced claims staff and reductions in training to save “expense.”
The Excellence in Claims Handling Program

Excellence in claims handling is a program that can help insurers avoid charges of bad faith in both first and third party claims.

An insurer must understand that it cannot adequately fulfill the promises it makes to it insured and the Fair Claims Practices Act which exist in almost every state, when dealing with claimants without excellence in claims handling. An insurer must work intelligently and with vigor to create a professional claims department.
A Proposal to Create Claims Professionals

To avoid claims of bad faith; to avoid punitive damages; to avoid losses; and to make a profit insurers must maintain claim staffs who are dedicated to excellence in claims handling. That means they will make sure every promise made in every policy is satisfied by the:

Insurers who only hire insurance claims professionals.

Insurers who train the claims staff to be insurance claims professionals.

Insurers who require that the claims staff treat every insured with good faith and fair dealing.

Insurers who demand excellence in claims handling from the claims staff.

The insurance industry for the last 25 years has decimated the number of insurance claims professionals for insurers to hire.

If any experienced claims professionals exist in the insurer’s staff, the insurer must cherish and nurture them. If none are available, the insurer has no option but to train its people.

Those who treat all insureds and claimants with good faith and fair dealing and provide excellence in claims handling must be honored with increases in earnings and perquisites.

The insurer must immediately eliminate those who do not provide excellence in claims handling from the claims staff.

What Sources Are Available to Obtain Training?

The Excellence in Claims Handling program includes a series of web-based lectures supported by text materials like my claims books available at amazon.com and over the insurance claims library at my web site at https://zalma.com/blog/insurance-claims-library/.

The web lectures should be supplemented by meetings between supervisors and claims staff on a regular basis to reinforce the information learned in the lectures.

The Excellence in Claims Handling Program is not enough. In addition, the insurer must institute a regular program of auditing claims files to establish compliance with the subjects studied. There is no quick and easy solution. The training takes time. Learning takes longer. The insurer’s management must support and reinforce the training regularly.
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If you wish your claims staff to provide excellence in claims handling you, and your claims staff, can Subscribe to the Excellence in Claims Handling program at https://zalmaoninsurance.locals.com/subscribe.

(c) 2022 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.

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. He is available at http://www.zalma.com and [email protected].

Subscribe and receive videos limited to subscribers of Excellence in Claims Handling at locals.com https://zalmaoninsurance.locals.com/subscribe.

Subscribe to Excellence in Claims Handling at https://barryzalma.substack.com/welcome.

Write to Mr. Zalma at [email protected]; http://www.zalma.com; http://zalma.com/blog; daily articles are published at https://zalma.substack.com.

Go to the podcast Zalma On Insurance at https://anchor.fm/barry-zalma; Follow Mr. Zalma on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bzalma; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://rumble.com/c/c-262921; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://zalma.com/blog/insurance-claims-library/

00:06:42
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September 05, 2025
Interpleader Helps Everyone Potential Claimant to Insurance Proceeds

Interpleader Protects All Claimants Against Life Policy and the Insurer

Who’s on First to Get Life Insurance Proceeds

Post 5184

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gyxQfnUz and at https://lnkd.in/gAd3wqWP, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

Go to X @bzalma; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://lnkd.in/gRthzSnT; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://lnkd.in/g2hGv88; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://lnkd.in/gwEYk.
Interpleader Protects All Claimants Against Life Policy and the Insurer

In Metropolitan Life Insurance Company v. Selena Sanchez, et al, No. 2:24-cv-03278-TLN-CSK, United States District Court, E.D. California (September 3, 2025) the USDC applied interpleader law.
Case Overview

This case involves an interpleader action brought by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (Plaintiff-in-Interpleader) against Selena Sanchez and other defendants (Defendants-in-Interpleader).

Key Points

Plaintiff-in-Interpleader’s Application:

The Plaintiff-in-Interpleader...

00:06:34
September 05, 2025
Demands for Reasons for Termination not a “Claim”

A Claim by Any Other Name is not a Claim
Post 5182

It is Imperative that Insured Report Potential Claim to Insurers

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gfbwAsxw, See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gea_hgB3 and at https://lnkd.in/ghZ7gjxy, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

In Jeffrey B. Scott v. Certain Underwriters At Lloyd’s, London, Subscribing To Policy No. B0901li1837279, RLI Insurance Company, Certain Underwriters At Lloyds, London And The Insurance Company, Subscribing To Policy No. B0180fn2102430, No. 24-12441, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (August 25, 2025) the court explained the need for a claim to obtain coverage.

Case Background:

This appeal arises from a coverage dispute under a Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance policy. Jeffrey B. Scott, the plaintiff-appellant, was terminated from his role as CEO, President, and Secretary of Gemini Financial Holdings, LLC in October 2019. Following his termination, Scott threatened legal action against Gemini, and ...

00:08:22
September 04, 2025
Demands for Reasons for Termination not a “Claim”

A Claim by Any Other Name is not a Claim
Post 5182

It is Imperative that Insured Report Potential Claim to Insurers

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gfbwAsxw, See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gea_hgB3 and at https://lnkd.in/ghZ7gjxy, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

In Jeffrey B. Scott v. Certain Underwriters At Lloyd’s, London, Subscribing To Policy No. B0901li1837279, RLI Insurance Company, Certain Underwriters At Lloyds, London And The Insurance Company, Subscribing To Policy No. B0180fn2102430, No. 24-12441, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (August 25, 2025) the court explained the need for a claim to obtain coverage.

Case Background:

This appeal arises from a coverage dispute under a Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance policy. Jeffrey B. Scott, the plaintiff-appellant, was terminated from his role as CEO, President, and Secretary of Gemini Financial Holdings, LLC in October 2019. Following his termination, Scott threatened legal action against Gemini, and ...

00:08:22
September 03, 2025

Barry Zalma: Insurance Claims Expert Witness
Posted on September 3, 2025 by Barry Zalma
The Need for a Claims Handling Expert to Defend or Prove a Tort of Bad Faith Suit

© 2025 Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE

When I finished my three year enlistment in the US Army as a Special Agent of US Army Intelligence in 1967, I sought employment where I could use the investigative skills I learned in the Army. After some searching I was hired as a claims trainee by the Fireman’s Fund American Insurance Company. For five years, while attending law school at night while working full time as an insurance adjuster I became familiar with every aspect of the commercial insurance industry.

On January 2, 1972 I was admitted to the California Bar. I practiced law, specializing in insurance claims, insurance coverage and defense of claims against people insured and defense of insurance companies sued for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. After 45 years as an active lawyer, I asked that my license to practice law be declared inactive ...

post photo preview
September 03, 2025
Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE Insurance Claims Expert Witness

The Need for a Claims Handling Expert to Defend or Prove a Tort of Bad Faith Suit
© 2025 Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE

When I finished my three year enlistment in the US Army as a Special Agent of US Army Intelligence in 1967, I sought employment where I could use the investigative skills I learned in the Army. After some searching I was hired as a claims trainee by the Fireman’s Fund American Insurance Company. For five years, while attending law school at night while working full time as an insurance adjuster I became familiar with every aspect of the commercial insurance industry.

On January 2, 1972 I was admitted to the California Bar. I practiced law, specializing in insurance claims, insurance coverage and defense of claims against people insured and defense of insurance companies sued for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. After 45 years as an active lawyer, I asked that my license to practice law be declared inactive and became a consultant and expert witness for lawyers representing insurers and lawyers ...

post photo preview
September 03, 2025
Evidence Required to Prove Breach of Contract

APPRAISAL AWARD SETS AMOUNT OF DAMAGES RECOVERED FROM INSURER

Post 5180

See the full video at https://rumble.com/v6yd2z0-evidence-required-to-prove-breach-of-contract.html and at https://youtu.be/2ywEjs3hZsw, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

It’s a Waste of Time to Sue Your Insurer if You Don’t Have Evidence

Evidence Required to Prove Breach of Contract

Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/evidence-required-prove-breach-contract-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-rfelc, see the full video at https://rumble.com/v6yd2z0-evidence-required-to-prove-breach-of-contract.html and at https://youtu.be/2ywEjs3hZsw, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

It’s a Waste of Time to Sue Your Insurer if You Don’t Have Evidence

In Debbie Beaty and Jonathan Hayes v. Homeowners Of America Insurance Company, No. 01-23-00844-CV, Court of Appeals of Texas, First District (August 26, 2025) Debbie Beaty and Jonathan Hayes filed a claim under their homeowner’s insurance policy with Homeowners of ...

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