I am the President/Chief Executive Officer of Andrew Barile Consulting Corporation, Inc., which provides insurance and reinsurance consulting services and expert witness services on behalf of law firms nationwide. I hold the Chartered Property Casualty-Underwriter (CPCU) professional insurance underwriting designation. In addition, my formal education includes earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (Insurance Major) (cum laude) from St. John’s University’s School of Risk Management (formally the College of Insurance) and a Master’s degree (MBA) in International Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business. I was awarded the Anglo-American Fellowship to work with the Syndicate Underwriters at Lloyd’s of London in London, England.
I have worked for over 60 years in the property and casualty insurance and reinsurance industries. My career includes primary underwriting experience with insurance companies, Commercial Union, Home Insurance, Phoenix of London (Continental) and Great American Insurance Company, including their subsidiary, at the time, First Insurance Company of Hawaii. My managing general agency underwriting experience was with Arrowhead General Insurance Agency, Inc. and Appalachian Underwriters, Inc. My career also includes reinsurance underwriting for Swiss Re (North American Re), American Reinsurance Company, and Howden Reinsurance Corporation.
I have been elected to the Claims Committee (Large Loss Review Committee) of the Board of Directors of the Accident Insurance Company Inc., a U.S. licensed, multi-line insurance company. I review and approve large general liability claims.
I am now a strategic independent insurance and reinsurance consultant and expert witness. I have performed consulting agreements for insurance companies, managing general agents, and in some cases for attorneys handling litigation involving insures, policyholders, managing general agents and surplus lines brokers. I have also authored textbooks, publications and performed research through my career about underwriting, reinsurance, and captive insurance companies, as discussed in my C.V. while sitting on the Board of a California Workers Compensation Insurance Company, and a New York Commercial Automobile Insurance Company, I advised the Chief Executive Offer of their insurance underwriting policy. I am currently a Board of Director of the Financial Committee, and Claim’s Committee of the Accident Insurance Company of New Mexico.
Introduction:
Insurance agents, managing general agents, TPA’s, insurers and reinsurers are spending more money and devoting more resources on legal services and insurance advice than ever before. More companies are embroiled in lawsuits.
As an insurance and reinsurance litigation consultant, a reinsurance arbitrator, an insurance and reinsurance expert, and having fifty years of insurance experience as a wholesaler, MGA, insurer, reinsurance broker, reinsurer, both domestic and in Bermuda, I want to reveal how companies and their law firms are dealing with the increase in litigation and what qualities are of most value when the lawyers are selecting an Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation Consultant or Expert.
Characteristics of An Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation Consultant (in order of importance)
1. Expertise/Ability
2. Knowledge of the Insurance and Reinsurance Industry
3. Responsiveness
4. Value of the case (monetary value)
5. Honesty/Transparency
6. Reputation/Professionalism
7. Reliability
8. Promptness
9. Efficiency
10. Longstanding/Relationship
Litigiousness Increasing
Companies have experienced an increase in litigation in recent years. In house counsels saw an increase in litigation and, understandably have to address the issue. The concept of finding more people being prompted to file a claim in increasing worldwide. We find more often, today, that U.S. lawyers are pursuing litigation possibilities outside the United States as well.
Outsourcing Legal Work
More insurance companies and reinsurance companies are finding it more cost effective to outsource their legal work to law firms to cope with the rise in litigation. It is certainly easier to control by outsourcing. In talking with lawyers, you can come to the conclusion that litigators handle litigation and arbitration better than the in-house staff can. Retaining local lawyers from the country in which they have legal problems is the smarter way to go. Only with the Internet can this work be cost effective.
Searching For the Ideal Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation Consultant
In house legal counsels from insurance and reinsurance companies are constantly asking their law firms to improve their service and requiring
(a) a more prompt turnaround;
(b) increase the amount of research on a case;
(c) more regular updates;
(d) in cases of court cases, a more thorough preparation;
(e) understand the reinsurance agreement; and policy coverages; and
(f) understand the Arbitration Clause.
All of these requirements have burdened the litigation lawyer with the major issue of selecting the appropriate expert that has the expertise and ability within the insurance and reinsurance industry. The insurance and the reinsurance industry is very complex and locating the right litigation consultant with the right knowledge is very a must.
Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation Consultants stay current and must be attending the PCI conventions, the NAIC quarterly meetings, the PriceWaterhouse, Standards and Poors, and AM Best Conferences to stay current in the insurance industry. Numerous insurance periodicals are read.
In an increasing litigious society, insurance and reinsurance law firms seem to be working in closer partnerships with their insurance and reinsurance experts than ever before. Adequately understanding the insurance and reinsurance industry with the consultant delivering the service they expect.
Call: (912) 800-3155 or email: abarile@abarileconsult.com for a free consultation.
We are located in the great southern town of Savannah, Georgia.
Monday - Friday: 9am - 6pm
Saturday: 10am - 2pm
Sunday: Closed
Andrew Barile Consulting Corporation Inc.
3 Breakfast Court, Savannah, GA 31411, US
Copyright © 2018 Andrew Barile Consulting Corporation Inc. - All Rights Reserved.
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