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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August 16, 2022
COVID Claims Continue to Fail

No BI Insurance No Inverse Condemnation
Barry Zalma

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gsN5XUg3 and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4300 posts.

Golden Corral Corporation and Golden Corral Franchising Systems, Inc. (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Golden Corral”), appealed the district court’s order granting Illinois Union Insurance Company’s motion for judgment on the pleadings in Golden Corral’s action seeking insurance benefits for business losses Golden Corral incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Golden Corral Corp.; Golden Corral Franchising Systems Inc. v. Illinois Union Insurance Company, No. 21-2119, United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit (August 11, 2022) the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court’s order applying Uncork &Create LLC v. Cincinnati Ins. Co., 27 F.4th 926, 933-34 (4th Cir. 2022) that held that an insurance “policy’s coverage for business income loss and other expenses did not apply to plaintiff’s claim for financial losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the absence of any material destruction or material harm to its covered premises and further observing that our holding is consistent with the unanimous decisions by our sister circuits, which have applied various states’ laws to similar insurance claims and policy provisions.

The Fourth Circuit dispensed with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

ZALMA OPINION

It seems plaintiffs and their lawyers refuse to read the opinions of every federal circuit and almost every state trial and appellate court that Covid-19 does not cause direct physical damage to the property of the insured which eliminates the possibility of collecting for business interruption. Some creative lawyers have tried inverse condemnation by the state for closing down businesses as a Fifth Amendment taking.

One court said: “

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, however, has found the Governor’s executive orders to be valid uses of police power and not a taking under the exercise of eminent domain power. Friends of Danny DeVito v. Wolf, 227 A.3d 872, 896 (Pa.), cert. denied, ––– U.S. ––––, 141 S. Ct. 239, 208 L. Ed. 2d 17 (2020).” [1600 Walnut Corp. v. Cole Haan Co., 530 F.Supp.3d 555 (E.D. Pa. 2021)]

(c) 2022 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.

Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE, is available at

http://www.zalma.com

and [email protected] and receive videos limited to subscribers of Excellence in Claims Handling at locals.com https://lnkd.in/gfFKUaTf.

Subscribe to Excellence in Claims Handling at https://lnkd.in/gNm9EWKJ.

Write to Mr. Zalma at [email protected];
Follow Mr. Zalma on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bzalma; Go to Rumble.com at https://lnkd.in/gV9QJYH; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://lnkd.in/g2hGv88; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://lnkd.in/gKCTg53

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9 hours ago
No Coverage for Intentional Acts

When Harm is Inherent in the Nature of the Act it is Intentional

Post 5237

See the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.

No Coverage for Intentional Acts

Hitting a Person in the Face is an Intentional Act

In Unitrin Auto and Home Insurance Company v. Brian C. Sullivan, et al., George A. Ciminello, No. 2022-01607, Index No. 21632/14, Supreme Court of New York, Second Department (November 19, 2025) George A. Ciminello was injured when struck in the face by a cup filled with liquid, thrown from a moving vehicle operated by Brian C. Sullivan, with Robert Harford as the passenger who threw the cup. The vehicle approached Ciminello at about 30 mph, from 2 to 10 feet away, and Harford extended his arm to make contact. The cup splintered upon impact.

Sullivan and Harford later conceded liability on the intentional tort claim before a damages trial.

Insurance Policy:

Unitrin Auto and Home...

00:06:53
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December 04, 2025
Unmitigated Gall to Abuse an Elderly Bishop and His Church

Obtaining Title to Church by Fraud Defeated

Post 5238

Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unmitigated-gall-abuse-elderly-bishop-his-church-zalma-esq-cfe-xcasc, see the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.

It is Villainous to Steal Church Property from Sick and Elderly Bishop

In Testimonial Cathedral Local Church of God in Christ v. EquityKey Real Estate Option, LLC et al. (Cal. Ct. App., 2d Dist., Div. 8, No. B331522 (Nov. 18, 2025) EquityKey (through broker Steven Sharpe and Frank Wheaton, a trusted advisor/friend of elderly Bishop Jimmy Hackworth) presented a deal supposedly for a $4 million life-insurance policy on Hackworth’s life with EquityKey as beneficiary. In exchange, EquityKey paid Hackworth $400,000 upfront.
Factual Background

To qualify Hackworth for the large policy, church real property on South Western Ave., Los Angeles was temporarily ...

00:10:28
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December 03, 2025
Soldier Sentenced for Nigerian Romance Fraud

Guilty of Money Laundering Scheme
Post 5238

See the video at https://lnkd.in/gqh7V46x and at https://lnkd.in/gmE-zrDC and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.

Prison Sentence for Fraud Must be Limited to the Fraud in Which the Defendant Participated

In United States v. Stephen O. Anagor, No. 2:24-CR-00019-DCLC-CRW (E.D. Tenn., Nov. 26, 2025) by Judge Clifton L. Corker the government sought to increase the defendant’s sentence because his co-conspirators added a fraudulent FBI scam that resulted in the victim’s suicide. Anagor sought a lower sentence because he was only involved in part of the fraud.

Charges & Plea

Defendant, a U.S. Army soldier pled guilty on June 11, 2025 to Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud, Aiding and Abetting Aggravated Stalking Resulting in Death and Aiding and Abetting Aggravated Identity Theft that was part of a larger 38-count superseding indictment against Anagor and co-defendants Chinagorom Onwumere and Salma Abdalkareem for an international Nigerian-based ...

00:10:51
October 31, 2025
The Zalma Philosophy of Claims Handling – Part 9

The Professional Claims Handler
Post 5219

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 ...

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October 20, 2025
The Zalma Philosophy of Claims Handling – Part I

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 ...

post photo preview
October 20, 2025
The Zalma Philosophy of Claims Handling – Part I

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 ...

post photo preview
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