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It is common knowledge that dispute valuations in insurance claims leads to “appraisal.” Appraisal is a somewhat of a buzz word for arbitration where arbitrators (appraisers) determine values. Simply put then, an appraiser is an arbitrator and appraisal is an arbitration. This isn’t totally a fair equation of words. After all, a brown trout is different from a rainbow trout. Arbitration is not an appraisal, but an appraisal can be an arbitration, especially when the c...

Insurance policies provide a method of dispute resolution called “appraisal”. When an impasse in the determination of the amount of a loss is reached, one party will demand (or request) appraisal and will name an appraiser. The other party will do so as well. The two appraisers will appoint a third appraiser to serve as an umpire and two of the three can render an award that will bind all parties.

This simple explanation of the appraisal...

Does Insurance Cover Identity Fraud?

“Identity fraud occurs when someone uses stolen personal information to commit a crime or fraud in your name. Once the damage is done, the road back to restoring what was yours can be both time-consuming and expensive. As the first insurer to offer reimbursement for identity fraud expenses, Big Insurance Company (name omitted to protect the guilty) can help you repair the harm that’s been done.”

As many of our Blog readers know, we have sponsored an essay contest for which the reward is a scholarship at my Alma Mater, Weber State University. The essay contest works like this:  Students applying for the scholarship will submit their essays to me and I will judge them.  I will have no knowledge of the sender, his or her gender or race.  I just judge the essays.

This year we received two scholarship winners and I would like to provide parts of the hig...