When properly documented and planned, the sale of a damaged property does not create an opening for the insurance company to escape liability from its insurance obligations. When selling your property during a pending insurance claim, policyholders can assign the claim to a new buyer or retain their right to receive insurance benefits under the policy.…

Anybody who joined me for our Hurricane Ida webinar yesterday could tell that Steve Mullins is an aggressive and experienced property insurance advocate. Steve was born in New Orleans and is the eldest son of Louisiana parents. Steve grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Ocean Springs. He is a proud graduate of Ocean Springs High School, where he was active in football, student government, and all sorts of…

“Can I recover my attorney’s fees?” This is a practical question that might come to the minds of insureds when trying to recover their insurance proceeds following a disaster. In Mississippi, the answer to that question depends entirely on the circumstances of the case at hand.…

The Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) seeks to “impartially enforce the laws and regulations” relating to the insurance industry.1 It does this in part by reviewing and investigating consumer complaints about their insurance companies and agents. If you live in Mississippi and think that your insurance claim or policy has been delayed, wrongly denied, or deliberately underpaid, you can file a complaint with LDI and request an investigation into the matter.…

Although there are many factors that may affect coverage for flood claims under the Standard Flood Insurance Policy (“SFIP”) forms, coverage issues typically fall into two categories: 1) is the property for which a claim is being made considered “covered property” under the policy; and 2) has there been “direct physical loss by or from flood.…

In a Puerto Rico Hurricane Michael case involving a Zurich Insurance Company providing a policy to a Louisiana policyholder, an alleged delayed payment resulted in attorneys for Zurich arguing that they could delay owed payments for various excuses. The first issue was what a proof of loss meant under Louisiana law.…

Lucas H. Morehouse has joined Merlin Law Group’s New Orleans office. Morehouse is a native of Louisiana and originally from New Orleans. He received his undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University, where he double-majored in History and Political Science. Then, he stayed in Baton Rouge and received his Law Degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. Lucas is a proud Louisiana Tigers fan.…