hail damage News

Houston Plaintiffs’ Attorney Sanctioned for ‘Groundless’ Lawsuit Against Insurer

A Texas judge has ordered a Houston plaintiffs’ attorney to reimburse an insurer $137,000 for the legal fees it expended to defend itself against a “frivolous” and “groundless” lawsuit that was filed “solely for the purpose of harassment.” Harris County …

Morakabian and Rosales Signal a Consensus View on Recovery of Attorneys’ Fees After Appraisal

Chapter 542 of the Texas Insurance Code, also known as the Texas Prompt Payment of Claims Act (“TPPCA”), generally allows an insured to recover interest and attorneys’ fees, in addition to the amount of the insurance claim, when an insurer …

Hail and Wind from Thunderstorms Caused $5.5 Billion in Losses, KCC Says

Severe weather created when a stationary front trapped warm, humid air over Texas and the Southeast caused an estimated $5.5 billion in insured losses, Karen Clark & Co. said in a briefing on Tuesday. KCC said there were dozens of …

Amended Complaint Says Texas Public Adjuster Losses Near $8 Million

A public adjuster who is accused of pocketing insurance payouts intended for policyholders took a total of $7.9 million from 14 customers, including four churches, according to an amended complaint filed by the Texas Department of Insurance. The Texas State …

Insurer That Denied Appraisal Can’t Seek Declaration That it Made the Right Choice

If an insurer wants confirmation by a court that an appraisal is inappropriate, it needs to file a request for declaratory judgment before denying the appraisal request, an Illinois appellate panel ruled Monday. A panel with the 3rd District of …

8th Circuit: Policyholder Entitled to Appraisal to Determine Cause of Damage

A Minnesota property owner has a right to an appraisal to determine the cause of a loss even if the insurer contends the damage existed before it issued its policy, a panel of the US 8th Circuit Court Appeals ruled …

General Contractor Overhead And Profit And AOB Insurance Scams

A storm is rising, and it is not the type which causes damage to homes and vehicles. It causes damage of a much more insidious nature. Following a storm or other natural disaster, canvassers hired by the “hail cartel”—lawyers or …

Zesty.ai Refines Fire Risk Model by Adding IBHS Data on Building Materials

Zesty.ai, a California insurtech start-up, is hoping to fine-tune fire-risk scores that sometimes can make it challenging for homeowners to find coverage. Marketing Director Nick Allain said the company wants to help insurers who might otherwise overlook fire-resistant structures that …

How One Startup is Trying to Help Car Dealers Weather Hailstorms

Nick Pacifico has been working at his family’s Cadillac dealership in Denver since 2003. He’s never seen insurance costs this bad. “Getting coverage is nearly impossible,” said Pacifico, vice president at Rickenbaugh Automotive Group. Two years ago he paid about …

Adjuster’s Comment About ‘Homeys’ Enough to Allow Discrimination Claim to Proceed

A claims adjuster’s comments about “homeys” and “you people” when talking to a South Chicago property owner were enough to merit further proceedings on a discrimination claim against State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. However, several counts that alleged a …