In today’s video, founding name partner Mark Miller, discusses the frustrations policyholders face when it comes to obtaining reliable and accurate insurance coverage advice.  With insurance recovery law, there is a big difference between getting advice, and getting the right advice. 

For example, many of the insurance claims that we handle were first looked at by lawyers at other firms.  Partners at large law firms typically have a person at their firm take a “first look” at coverage, and advise as to whether or not coverage is provided.  Before we see the claim, some other lawyer has already concluded that there is no coverage.  Then, we get a call from the law firm partner, or the client, saying, “this can’t be right. . . there must be coverage.”  When we provide a “second look,” we typically find coverage. 

The reasons for inaccurate insurance recovery advice are perhaps as numerous as lawyers giving that advice.  But, in the end, insurance recovery lawyers don’t add value unless they succeed at helping their clients collect under their corporate insurance policies.  There are many great lawyers and law firms out there offering insurance coverage advice.  But, as we have seen over and over again, legal advice confirming an insurance carriers denial of coverage is not necessarily accurate or correct.    

Because of our focus and experience, Miller Friel is uniquely situated to provide policyholder clients with sound and accurate insurance recovery advice.  For many of the matters we handle, multiple parties had already advised our clients that there was no coverage.  If you receive such advice, it may be time for a second opinion.  We are happy to provide that second look, and we will do so free of charge.  Please give us a call to discuss any corporate claims issues you may have.  The more challenging, the better.   

The telephone number for our Washington, DC office is 202-760-3160.

Here is a transcript of today’s video:

Our experience and expertise allows us to provide clients with candid and accurate advice.

One of the most important things that we find in insurance coverage law is candid and accurate advice. Anybody can give advice, but giving the right advice is sometimes very different than just giving advice.

Often times we will get a matter after someone else had it. In fact more often or not some other lawyer will have a matter, the other lawyers will have looked at it and given an answer that just didn’t feel right or sound right to the client. The client will say, hey can you give this a second look. I had XYZ law firm, a great law firm, look at it. And you know they said they did not recommend pursuing it and general counsel/ CFO will say, you know what I’m out 5 million $10 million and I want them money and they have no way of recovering it, they had no strategy. The reality is that every time we look at one of those matters we find out that there is something to go after. And there is coverage.

The reason why we can give that accurate advice is the experience. The reason we can give candid advice is because our hands are not tied behind our back with insurance coverage rules about the quid pro quo of being on some sort of panel counsel. So we can offer the right advice. That advice may be, work it out. Which often times it is. Work it out. We have the power behind us to work this situation out. We think if we put these arguments in writing, get them to the right people at the insurance company, if we can do that, we think they’re going to come around. Because if they don’t they know what’s in store for them.