WINDSTORM INSURANCE CONFERENCE...Palani A-B, 2nd Floor 5:30 - 7 pm “WIND Hub” Exhibit Hall Open...

18TH ANNUAL | JANUARY 29 - FEBRUARY 2, 2017

RENAISSANCE AT SEAWORLD | ORLANDO, FLORIDA

WINDSTORMINSURANCECONFERENCE

WIND 2017 SHOW GUIDEPRODUCED BY

www.VCGFL.comEmail: [email protected]

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On behalf of the WIND Board of Directors, and the WIND 2017 Program Chair, Ken Gilvary, we welcome you to the 18th Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference and the city of Orlando.

Each year, WIND strives to make our conference a well-rounded event, offering informative profes-sional development sessions, diverse continuing education workshops, and numerous networking opportunities. It is our pleasure to host this unique conference for the property and windstorm insur-ance claims industry each year.

I’d like to thank everyone who had a hand in making this year’s event possible. Special thanks go to our many exhibitors and sponsors for their contributions. Please be sure to show them your appreciation. Thanks to Conference Ken Gilvary, WIND Executive Director Michelle Griffin, Meeting Management Group, and the 2017 Conference Committee who have spent a year planning the conference and countless hours working hard to ensure its success.

I’d also like to extend my gratitude to our keynote speakers and workshop faculty for their participa-tion. They help educate and inform our attendees on some of the top issues affecting the property insurance claims field. Finally, thanks go to the WIND Board of Directors and committees for their dedication and assistance.

A special note to our WIND members, your support and attendance have helped make WIND one of the industry’s premier educational and networking associations for property insurance claims industry professionals.

To all of our registrants, thank you for your attendance. We welcome your input and participation. If there is anything we as an organization can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Sincerely,

Curtis Hutchens, EsquireCH MediationWIND President

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Connect. Learn. Engage.

WIND2017ShowGuide.indd 2 1/13/17 12:55 PM

| 5Stay Connected! Visit www.windnetwork.mobi for News and Updates!

at WIND 2017 in Orlando!SUNDAY, JAN. 29, 20176 - 7:30 pm“Sunset Celebration” Networking ReceptionWear your best tropical attire.Location: Oceans TerraceBack-up: Oceans Foyer

MONDAY, JAN. 30, 20178:00 amWIND Golf TournamentWalt Disney World Magnolia Golf CourseBuses depart at 6:30 am from Oceans Porte-Cochere

11:00 amRegistration and CE Sign-up Location: Crystal Registration

12:00 - 2:00 pmBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)• Simsol (M1), Oceans 11• Symbility (M2), Oceans 12

2:00 - 4:00 pmBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)• Simsol (M3), Oceans 11• Symbility (M4), Oceans 12

4:00 - 7:00 pm“WIND HUB” - Exhibit Hall Location: Oceans 1-8

5:00 - 7:00 pmWelcome Kickoff Reception in the “WIND HUB”Location: Oceans 1-8Sponsors: Duboff Law FirmThe CLMDrink Ticket Sponsor: Venture Construction Group

6:30 pmExpo Raffle DrawingLocation: Oceans 1-8

TUESDAY, JAN. 31, 20177:30 amRegistration and CE Sign-up Location: Crystal Registration

7:30 - 8:30 amContinental BreakfastLocation: AtriumSponsor: Casualty Adjuster’s Guide; Florida/Alabama

8:30 - 10:00 amGeneral SessionPresident’s Recognition AwardKeynote Speaker: Col. Mark TillmanLocation: Crystal Ballroom


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10:00 am - 3:45 pm “WIND HUB” Exhibit Hall OpenLocation: Oceans 1-8

10:00 - 10:30 amConnecting BreakLocation: Oceans 1-8Sponsors: Berk, Merchant & Sims, PLCClaims Magazine/PropertyCasualty360Exponent

10:30 am - 12:15 pmBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)•5-Hr. Florida Law & Ethics Update - Part 1 (T1a)Location: Discovery• Adjusting for Your Deposition (T2), Oceans 12• Advanced Settlement Tech Property/Windstorm Claims (T3), Oceans 9•Burdens of Proof (T4), Oceans 11• Carrier Adjusting Issues (T5), Atlantis• Complex Residential CAT Losses (T6), Odyssey• Effective Management of Complex Cat, Claims (T7), Coral A-B• Have You Been Interrupted? (T8) Grouper, 2nd Floor• Industry Case Law Updates (T9), Oceans 10

12:15 - 1:30 pmConnecting LunchLocation: AtriumSponsors: Boehm Brown Harwood, P.A.Duboff Law FirmEFI GlobalTwenty First Century Engineering, Inc.

1:30 - 3:15 pmBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)• 5-Hr. Florida Law & Ethics Update: Understanding the Complex World of AOB - Part 2 (T1b), Discovery • Condominium Claims: Who is Responsible for Damage? (T10), Oceans 11• Cyber Security, Drones, & Use of Technology in Claims (T11), Oceans 10• Duties After Loss: Viewpoints of Insured & Insurer (T12), Oceans 12• How to Select an Appropriate Expert (T13), Odyssey• Impartiality in Appraisal: Lessons Learned (T14), Atlantis• Perspectives: Different Professionals View Cat. (T15), Grouper, 2nd Floor• Plumbing Losses: Coverage/Identifying Long Term (T16), Oceans 9• Property Insurance Fraud Litigation (T17), Coral A-B • Appraisal Re-Certification - Part 1 (T18a), Palani A-B, 2nd Floor

3:15 - 3:45 pmConnecting BreakLocation: Oceans 1-8Sponsors: Claims JournalIN-Line Consulting, LLCSalmon and Dulberg Dispute ResolutionZap Consulting


Stay Connected! Visit www.windnetwork.mobi for News and Updates!

3:45 - 5:30 pmBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)• 5-Hr. Florida Law & Ethics Update: Updates & Developments in FL Law - Part 3 (T1c), Discovery• A t o Assi n ent o Benefits (T1 ), ceans • Application of Daubert Wind/Hail (T20), Oceans 10• Catastrophic Construction Collapse: Adjusting, Engineering, & Legal Perspectives (T21), Odyssey• Document a Claim: Plaintiff Defense Perspectives (T22)Grouper, 2nd Floor• Windstorm Claim is in a Flood Zone (T23), Coral A-B• Technology’s Role in Causation, Coverage & Fraud (T24), Atlantis• The Option to Repair (T25), Oceans 11• Appraisal Re-Certification - Part (T18 ), Palani A-B, 2nd Floor

5:30 - 7 pm“WIND Hub” Exhibit Hall OpenNetworking ReceptionLocation: Oceans 1-8Sponsor: Morgan Law Group, PADrink Ticket Sponsor: Stockham Law Group PA

6:30 pmExpo Raffle ran ri e DrawingLocation: Oceans 1-8

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 1, 20177:30 - 8:30 amContinental BreakfastLocation: Atrium

8:00 amWIND Registration and CE Sign-UpLocation: Crystal Registration

8:00 - 10:00 amWIND Membership Meeting General SessionLocation: Crystal BallroomKeynote Speaker: Dr. Rick Knabb, Director, National Hurricane Center

Special Presentation: WIND Past Presidents Panel on Trending Issues in Catastrophe & Property Claims Handling

10:00 am - 2:00 pm“WIND HUB” - Exhibit Hall OpenLocation: Oceans 1-8

10:00 - 10:30amConnecting BreakLocation: Oceans 1-8Sponsor: Tutwiler & Associates Public Adjusters, Inc.

10:30 am - 12:15 pmBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)• Adjusting for Your Deposition (W1), Atlantis• Carrier Adjusting Issues (W2), Grouper, 2nd Floor• Condominium Claims: Who is Responsible for Damage? (W3), Oceans 11• Effective Management of Complex Catastrophe Claims (W4), Oceans 9• Industry Case Law Updates (W5), Odyssey• Plumbing Losses: Coverage/Identifying Long Term (W6),Oceans 12• Windstorm Claim is in a Flood Zone (W7), Coral A-B• Understanding Complex World of AOB (W8), Discovery• Wind vs. Water (W9), Oceans 10• pire Certification - Part 1 ( 1 a), Palani A-B, 2nd Floor• pire Re-Certification - Part 1( 11a), Labrid, 2nd Floor

12:15 - 1:30 pmConnecting LunchLocation: AtriumSponsors: Danahy & MurrayKelley Kronenberg

1:30 - 3:15 pmBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)• Application of Daubert, Wind/Hail (W12), Oceans 10• Burdens of Proof (W13), Atlantis•Catastrophic Construction Collapse: Adjusting, Engineering & Legal Perspectives (W14), Oceans 11• Complex Residential CAT Losses (W15), Odyssey• Duties After Loss: Viewpoints from Insured & Insurer (W16), Coral A-B• Merlin vs. Badger: Great Debate on All Things Appraisal & Hail Related (W17), Discovery• Perspectives: Professionals View Cat. (W18), Grouper, 2nd Floor• Property Insurance Fraud Litigation: (W19), Oceans 9• The Option to Repair (W20), Oceans 12• pire Certification - Part ( 1 ), Palani A-B, n Floor• pire Re-Certification - Part ( 11 ), a ri , n Floor


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3:15 - 3:45pmConnecting BreakLocation: Oceans FoyerSponsors: Duboff Law FirmNACA

3:45 - 5:30 pmBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)• A t o Assi n ent o Benefits ( 1), ceans • Advanced Settlement Tech Property/Windstorm Claims (W22), Coral A-B• Cyber Security, Drones, & Use of Technology in Claims (W23), Oceans 10• Have You Been Interrupted? (W24), Grouper, 2nd Floor• How to Document Claim: Plaintiff Defense Perspectives (W25), Odyssey• How to Select an Appropriate Expert (W26), Atlantis• Impartiality in Appraisal (W27), Oceans 11• Technology’s Role in Causation, Coverage, & Fraud (W28),Palani A-B, 2nd Floor• Updates & Developments in FL Law (W29),Oceans 12• Wind vs. Water (W30), Discovery

6:00 - 10:00 pmRoaring 20s Theme Party Casino/Game Night Wear your 1920s inspired attire. Eat, drink, win prizes!Location: Crystal BallroomSponsors: Merlin Law GroupThe Stems Law FirmVenture Construction Group of Florida, Inc.Drink Ticket Sponsor: oc Parafinc ol

THURSDAY, FEB. 2, 20178:00 - 8:30 amContinental BreakfastLocation: Atrium

8:30 am - 5:00 pmBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)• NFIP (TH1), Coral(Lunch is on your own at 12 pm.)

8:30 - 10:15 amBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)• Appraisal Certification - Part 1 (T a),Grouper, 2nd Floor• Xactimate (TH3), Discovery

10:15 - 10:30 amConnecting BreakLocation: Crystal Foyer

10:30 am - 12:15 pmBreakout Workshop Sessions (Class Code)• Appraisal Certification - Part (T ),Crystal D• Merlin vs. Badger (TH4), Discovery

12:30 pmConference ConclusionUnless you are attending the NFIP class.

DISCLAIMERHotel meeting room locations and speakers are subject to change. Visit www.windnetwork.mobi for the latest news and updates.


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CONFERENCE MATERIALS/UPDATESAll WIND 2017 conference information, such as the daily schedule, breakout session classes and instructors, attendee roster, exhibitor/sponsor companies, course handouts, hotel map, conference updates, and more, can be found online at www.windnetwork.mobi

SHARE ON SOCIAL! This year, we encourage you to share your tweets, posts, and pics. We may even feature your pictures in our conference slideshow! Use hashtag #WIND2017 and give us a shout out on Twitter and Facebook. Our handle is @windnetwork.

SPECIAL NEEDS/DIET RESTRICTIONSIf you require special accommodations or have dietary restrictions, please notify us at the WIND registration desk. We will strive to make any reasonable accommodation possible.

PROFESSIONAL DRESS CODEThe dress code is business casual for all conference events, both day and evening. Jeans and shorts are discouraged. Professional business attire is strongly recommended.

CONFERENCE NAME BADGESYour name badge identifies you as a Windstorm Insurance Conference attendee and must be worn for admission to all conference functions. WIND will not be issuing replacements for lost or stolen badges.

WE WANT YOUR OPINION, PLEASE!Your feedback helps us plan for future conferences. After each breakout session, you will be emailed a one-minute recap survey. We would be so appreciative if you would give us your honest feedback. Thank you in advance!

PHOTO AND VIDEO POLICYRegistration and attendance at WIND events constitutes an agreement by the registrant for WIND’s use and distribution (both now and in the future) of attendees’ images or voices in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions, and audiotapes for WIND’s promotional use only. Please note that WIND does not audio or videotape workshops presentations.

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS?We are here to help! Please see the WIND Registration Desk during conference hours if you have any questions or concerns let us know at [email protected]


Welcome to #WIND 2017

Share on Social @windnetwork #WIND2017


10 | Stay Connected! Visit www.windnetwork.mobi for News and Updates!

How to Earn CE Credits at WIND 2017A number of states, bar associations, and professional associations have been approved for CE and CLE credits. For full details, please visit the WIND CE Desk. To obtain your WIND 2017 CE/CLE credits: 1. Pick up your attendance card at the WIND CE Desk (not the WIND Registration Desk).

2. Complete all the information on the attendance card and keep the card with you during classes

ign e E E eri a ion ee in ea a o a en

4. Return your attendance card before you depart. Failure to return your a en an e ar wi eopar i e awar ing E E re i

FOR MORE INFORMATIONPlease contact the WIND CE/CLE Provider:AE21 IncorporatedPhone: 800.820.4550 Fax: 813.632.9377Email: [email protected]

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Sunday, January 29, 2017“Sunset Celebration” Reception6:30 - 7:30 pmJoin your fellow attendees poolside for an informal happy hour get-together and wear your best tropical shirts and attire. Prizes will be awarded for best dressed, most vintage, and more!

Monday, January 30, 2017“WIND HUB” Networking Hall4:00 - 7:00 pmCome, meet, and mingle with attendees and our WIND 2017 exhibitor partners, and learn about the latest products and services exclusively geared for the prop-erty windstorm insurance claims industry. And, don’t forget to enter our WIND Exhibitor Raffle for the opportunity to win great prizes donated by our partner companies.

Welcome/Kickoff Networking Reception5:30 - 7:00 pmThe Welcome Kickoff Reception, featuring cocktails and light appetizers, is always a popular gathering spot for attendees. Bars serving cocktails will be open to attend-ees and passed hors d’oeuvres will be served in the “WIND HUB” Networking Hall.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017“WIND HUB” Networking Hall10:00 am - 3:45 pm 5:30 - 7:00 pmConnect with attendee and hundreds of industry professionals throughout the day and at the evening’s reception. Connect with others among bars serving cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres in the WIND HUB Networking Hall.

Wednesday, February 1, 2017“WIND HUB” Networking Hall 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Roaring 20s Theme Partya ino a e ig

6 -10 pmChanneling all Great Gatsby guys and 1920s flapper ladies. Don your best Art Deco-era costumes (beads, feather boas, headbands, flapper dresses for the ladies; bow ties, vests, fedoras for the guys) for this fun and festive night. Enjoy dinner, dessert, drinks (no prohibi-tion here!) while trying your luck at arcade games, and casino tables. Lots of great prizes will be awarded to our lucky attendees. This is one party you don’t want to miss!


Get Connected at These Conference Events

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TUESDAY, JAN. 31, 2017 8:30 - 10:00 amCol. Mark Tillman,Former Commander, Airforce OneCol. Mark Tillman served as the Commander of Air Force One (2001-2009) and was the Air Force One ilot on epte ber 11, 2001 e as the rst to fly the

President into a War Zone on the Zero Fail Mission to Iraq.

Col. Tillman keeps attendees on the edge of their seat as he shares his rst hand a ount of piloting resident George W. Bush on September 11, 2001 and later transporting the Commander in Chief into the war zone of Baghdad, Iraq for Thanksgiving dinner with the troops.

Col. Tillman emphasizes the concept of a Zero Fail Mis-sion which can be applied in both business and every-day life. Detailed planning, measurable expectations, and personal responsibility are several of the key elements.

An engaging story teller, Col. Tillman will take you be-hind the scenes of Air Force One utilizing his experienc-es to reinforce the importance of the Zero Fail Mission.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 1, 20178 - 8:30 amDr. Rick Knabb, Director, National Hurricane CenterDon’t miss Dr. Knabb’s review of the past year’s hurri-cane season, and see what changes are coming in 2017.

8:30 - 10 amTrending Issues in Catastrophe and Property Claims Handling

Don’t miss this expert panel discussion of insurance claims professionals as they review and discuss trend-ing issues in claims adjusting from the viewpoints of defense and policyholder perspectives. The panel will present historical, current, and potential future issues arising from topics such as fraud, AOB, appraisal, ethics, and networking. They’ll also share past experiences and competencies needed to address claims handling for future catastrophic events.

WIND General Sessions and Speakers

| 13Stay Connected! Visit www.windnetwork.mobi for News and Updates!

Adjusting for Your Deposition Illon Kantro, Berk, Merchant & Sims, PLC; Kathleen Spinella, AIG Claims, Inc.; Rick Tutwiler, Tutwiler & Associates; Stephen Marino, Ver Ploeg & Lumpkin

Advanced Settlement Tech for Property/Windstorm Claims

ene rp , Ro inson Cole P llen eesfiel , e iator, Retired Judge, 11th Judicial Circuit; Meghan Moore, Ver Ploeg & Lumpkin

Application of Daubert to Wind and Hail Claims Lisa Bernardini, Groelle and Salmon; Susan Payne, The Rock Law Group; Michael Linehan, GHD; Jeff Greyber, Merlin Law Group

Burdens of ProofGina Clausen Lozier, Berger Singerman LLP; Matthew Litsky, Phelps Dunbar LLC; Sanford Siegel, Peak Claims Service, Inc.; Bobby Sims, Keys Claims Consultants, Inc.

Carrier Adjusting Issues Lisa Miller, Florida Dept. of Financial Services

Catastrophic Construction Collapse: Adjusting, Engineering and Legal Perspectives Justin Kestner, Haag Engineering; John Riordan, Kelley Kronen-berg; Jay Arnesen, Arnesen Webb; Ben Siebert, IAS

Complex Residential CAT Losses from Inception to Trial: A Balanced View Evelyn Merchant, Berk, Merchant & Sims; Zorian Sperkacz, Zorian Sperkacz, PA; Tim O’Brien, Penninsula Insurance Bureau; Mike Rump, Continental Public Adjusters

Condominium Claims: Who is Responsible for Damage? Gerald Albrecht, Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig, LLP; Rick Brown, Vision Claims ; George Keys, Keys Claims Consultants, Inc.

er e ri Drone e of e no og in Claims Valerie Barnhart, Kelley Kronenberg; Cory O’Leary, CCLD Technol-ogies, Inc.; John Cammarata, PointSource; Werner Kruck, Security First Insurance Company

The Duties After Loss: Viewpoints from In-sured and from Insurer William Collum, Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig, LLP; Mike Giasi, Esq., Giasi Law, P.A.; Patrick Garrett, AIC, CGC, North American Insurance Consultants, Inc.; Mike Ferguson, USAA

Effective Management of Complex Catastrophe Claims Bruce Barnes, Envista Forensics; Philip Ambrose, Engle Martin & Associates; Hobie Hind, Butler Weimuller Katz Craig, LLP; Amy Bo s, T e a fices o A Bo s

Have You Been Interrupted? Kristine Elkind, Matson Driscoll Damico; Nicole Vinson, Merlin Law Group; David Terry, The Rock Law Group

WIND Workshops and Faculty Speakers


How to Document a Claim: Plaintiff andDefense Perspectives Scott Rosso, Kubicki Draper; Larry Moskowitz, Ligman & Mos-kowitz, PLLC; Raul Paredes, Clear Restoration; Steve Venook, Advocate Claims

How to Select an Appropriate Expert Richard Conforti, DLD Lawyers; James Shaw, DLD Lawyers; Leon-ardo DaSilva, Alvarez, Carbonell, Feltman & Da Silva P.L; Chris Martinez, Alvarez, Carbonell, Feltman & Da Silva

Impartiality in Appraisal: Lessons Learned Wiilliam Berk, Berk, Merchant & Sims; Art Newman, Belfor ; Hugh Lumpkin, Ver Ploeg & Lumpkin

Industry Case Law Update Christina May Bolin, Alford Bolin,; Chris Mammel, Merlin Law Group

Merlin vs. Badger: The Great Debate On All Things Appraisal and Hail Related William Merlin, Merlin Law Group; Steven Badger, Zelle, LLP

a iona oo er er i a ionDavid Serfass, Alamo Claim Service

The Option to Repair Jeffrey Wank, Kelley Kronenberg; Donna Stockham, Stockham Law Group, P.A.; Raymond Altieri, Jr., Altieri Transco American Claims Corporation

Perspectives: How Different Professionals View Catastrophe Curtis Hutchens, CHMediation; Joseph Connelly, Recovery Insur-ance Adjusters; Ken Gilvary, Haag; Scott Thomas, iClaims Conslts.

Plumbing Losses: Coverage and Identifying Long Term Damage Vanessa Ross, Stockham Law Group; Donald Nehrig, GHD; Thomas R. Diana, Zinober Diana;; Daniel Gutierrez, Daniel Gutierrez PA Property Insurance Fraud Litigation: Wind and Related CasesAndrew Rock, The Rock Law Group, PA; Ty Tyler, Tyler & Hamilton

SimsolDanny Sutliff, Simsol Software

So Your Windstorm Claim is in a Flood Zone, Now What?David Compton, Bracken Engineering, Inc.; Clayton Prescott, Prescott Engineering, LLC.; John Minor, Complete Inc.; Matthew Scarfone, Colodny Fass, P.A.

of ign en of ene Vince Beilman, WSHB; Anne Kevlin, American Integrity Claims Service; Rusell Lazega, Florida Advocates; Clark Hanness, Brit Syndicate; Steve Leitner, Leitner Belsky & Tharp

Symbility James Williams, Symbility Solutions

e no og Ro e in a a ion o erage Fraud Nicholas Arnold, Christovich & Kearney, LLP; Rajan Pandit, Pandit Law, LLC; Nickie Cammarata, SDII Global Corp.

r aw E i p a e ar Jim Greer, PCCP

Understanding the Complex World of Assign-en of ene r aw

E i p a e ar Timothy Engelbrecht, Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig, LLP; Imran Malik, Malik Law, PA; Gordon Cohen, General Building Conslts.

Updates and Developments in FL Law (5-Hr. aw E i p a e ar

Paul Juster, Wargo French; Daniel Lopez, The Morgan Group; Roland Bernal, Groelle & Salmon, PA; Josh Blacksten, Duboff Law

WIND vs. Water George Hooker, Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A.; David Murray, Danahy & Murray, P.A.; Andrew Bickford, SafePoint Insurance Company; John Carroll, Twenty First Century Engineering Corp.

D pprai a er i a ion John Voelpel, Voelpel Claim Service; Jon Doan, Claims Consultants Group; Pete Kapas, Onsite Claims Service; Javier Delgado, Merlin Law Group

D pprai a Re er i a ionDan Luby, Precision Advisors; Rami Boaziz, Stellar Public Adjusting; Keith Womack, Restoration Specialist of Florida; Javier Delgado, Merlin Law Group; John Voelpel, Voelpel Claim Service

D pire er i a ion John Voelpel, Voelpel Claim Service; Jon Doan, Claims Consultants Group; Janet Brown, Boehm, Brown & Harwood, P.A.; Wayne Taylor, Mozley, Finlayson & Loggins, LLP; Hon. Tom Turner, Florida Circuit Judge

D pire Re er i a ionArt Newman, Belfor USA; Janet Brown, Boehm Brown & Harwood, P.A.; Wayne Taylor, Mozley, Finlayson & Loggins, LLP; Hon. Tom Turner, Florida Circuit Judge

Xactimate Chris Hatcher, Top Adjuster Training

DISCLAIMERHotel meeting room locations and speakers are subject to change. Keep updated at windnetwork.mobi for a list of class descrip-tions and the latest news and updates.

WIND does not allow audio/videotaping of general sessions and workshop sessions.


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WIND CERTIFIED APPRAISER PROGRAM® A training program for property insurance appraisers.The WIND Certified Appraiser Program® seeks to enhance the professionalism and ethics of property insurance appraisers. Upon completion of the four-hour program, professionals further their credentials by becoming a WIND Certified Appraiser® by successfully meeting the strict guidelines and criteria established by WIND. Visit windnetwork.com for more information.

WIND Appraiser Certification Class Times: Thursday, February 2, 2017 8:30 am - 12:15 pm WIND Appraiser Recertification Class Times:Tuesday, January 31, 2017 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm

WIND CERTIFIED UMPIRE PROGRAM® A training program for property insurance umpires.The WIND Umpire Certification Program is the first curriculum devoted to training professionals who serve as umpires in property insurance appraisals. The program is a valuable tool for those wanting to further their understanding of the appraisal process. Upon completion of the four-hour program, professionals further their credentials by becoming a WIND Certified Umpire® by successfully meeting the strict guidelines and criteria established by WIND and being listed in the WIND Umpire Directory. Visit windnetwork.com for more information.

WIND Umpire Certification Class Times:Wednesday, February 1, 2017 1:30 pm - 5:30 pmWIND Umpire Recertification Class Times:Wednesday, February 1, 2017 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm

WIND UMPIRE DIRECTORY®

An online directory of professionals who have successfully completed the four-hour WIND Umpire Certification Program® and met the guidelines and criteria established by WIND. Visit windnetwork.com for more information.

WIND DESIGNATION PROGRAMThe WIND Professional Designation Program includes two levels of designations: the Windstorm Insurance Network Professional (WIND-P) and Windstorm Insurance Network Fellow (WIND-F). Both designations recognize individuals who demonstrate a dedication to ongoing education in their respective occupations. Visit windnetwork.com to apply.

WIND FELLOW DESIGNEESCharles A. Baker, Jr., Peninsula Insurance BureauWilliam S. Berk, Berk, Merchant & Sims PLCChristine May Bolin, Alford Bolin, LLCJanet L. Brown Boehm Brown Harwood, P.A.Mathew R. Danahy, Danahy & MurrayMary Fortson, Merlin Law GroupKen Gilvary, Haag EngineeringLenox L. Godfrey, Florida Insurance Guaranty AssociationSusan Harwood, Boehm Brown Harwood, P.A.David C. Hisey, HISI, Inc.Curtis Hutchens, CH MediationPeter Kapas, Onsite Claims Service Inc.Janice Kelly, EsquireGina Clausen Lozier, Berger Singerman, LLPDan Luby, Precision Advisors, LLCClay Morrison, Morrison & Morrison, Inc.David Murray, Danahy & Murray, P.A.Robert J. Norton, General Adjusting Services, Inc.David Pettinato, Merlin Law Group, P.A.Lori Popkin-Flenniken, Florida Intracoastal UnderwritersJim Reichle, Jim Reichle & AssociatesMichael L. Ruskin, Disaster Pro Consulting, Inc.John W. Salmon, Salmon & Dulberg Dispute ResolutionMichaela D. Scheihing, Southeast Law GroupWayne Taylor, Mozley, Finlayson & Loggins, LLPFrank Tomassi, Jr., Claims Consulting ServicesDick Tutwiler, Tutwiler & Associates Public AdjustersJohn A. Voelpel, III, Voelpel Claim Service, Inc.Brent Winans, Clear Advantage Risk Management WIND PROFESSIONAL DESIGNEESMichael Capilli, Metro Public Adjustment, Inc. R. Ryan Gadapee, Weston InsuranceJason Hisey, HISI, Inc.Theodore Taylor, Taylor Adjusting Group, Inc.Rick Tutwiler, Tutwiler & Associates Public Adjusters



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WIND OFFICERSPresidentCurtis Hutchens, EsquireCH Mediation

First Vice PresidentSusan B. Harwood, EsquireBoehm Brown Harwood, P.A.

Second Vice PresidentMichael Ruskin Disaster Pro Consulting, Inc.

SecretaryRichard P. “Rick” Tutwiler, P.C.L.S.Tutwiler & Associates Public Adjusters

TreasurerDavid Cowheard, CPACowheard, Singer and Company, P.A.

Executive DirectorMichelle Griffin Windstorm Insurance Network, Inc.

WIND DIRECTORSCharlie BakerPeninsula Insurance Bureau

Christina May Bolin, Esquire Alford Bolin, LLC

Matthew R. Danahy, EsquireDanahy & Murray, P.A

Mary Fortson, EsquireMerlin Law Group

Kenneth Gilvary, P.E. Haag Engineering

Dan LubyPrecision Advisors, LLC

Peter KapasOnsite Claims Service, Inc.

David C. NeuhausInsurance Claims Unlimited, Inc.

Melissa Sims, Esquire Berk, Merchant & Sims, PLC

Wayne D. Taylor, EsquireMozley, Finlayson & Loggins, LLP

John (Jay) Voelpel, IV CJW & Associates, Inc.

CONFERENCE COMMITTEEChair, Kenneth Gilvary. P.E.Haag Engineering

Trudi WhiteWeston Insurance

Rick TutwilerTutwiler & Associates Public Adjusters

Vince Beilman, EsquireWood, Smith, Henning & Berman

James Shaw, EsquireDLD Lawyers

Eva MowreyBurt & Scheld

Wayne Taylor, EsquireMozley, Finlayson & Loggins, LLP

David NeuhausInsurance Claims Unlimited, Inc.

Thomas MorganThe Morgan Law Group

WIND MEETING PLANNERMeeting Management Group:Susan CooneAmber Fly Marty Streeper Michael Streeper

WIND GOLF TOURNAMENT COMMITTEEDavid NeuhausWayne TaylorMichaela ScheihingPete KappasJay Voepel

We‘re Glad to Have You at WIND 2017!


D U B O F FL a w F i r m

ALWAYS LOOKING FOR COVERAGE

www.dubofflawfirm.com

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GOLD SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

2017 WIND Conference Sponsors Berk, Merchant & Sims, PLC

1/31 AM Break Sponsor 2 Alhambra Plaza, Suite 700, Coral Gables, FL 33134 786-338-2851; www.berklawfirm.com Berk, Merchant & Sims, PLC provides legal services, advice, and representation to U.S. domestic and international insurers of commercial and personal lines business.

Boehm Brown Harwood, P.A. 1/31 Lunch Sponsor 1060 Maitland Center Commons Blvd., Suite 365, Maitland, FL 32751 407-660-0990; www.boehmbrown.com Founded in 1976, Boehm Brown Harwood PA is an insurance defense and mediation firm with an emphasis on first and third party insurance coverage and third party liability issues.

Casualty Adjuster's Guide 1/31 Continental Breakfast Sponsor 8928 Shenandoah Run, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 813-651-2041; www.caginfo.com Books published for the use of adjusters and Insurance carriers as a resource guide.

Charles R. Tutwiler & Associates, Inc. 2/1 AM Break Sponsor 5401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 1080, Tampa, FL 33609 813-287-8090; www.publicadjuster.com Established in 1984 as consumer advocates for policyholders with insurance residential and commercial property losses. “Put Your Insurance To Work For You,” with experienced loss consultants.

Claims Journal 1/31 PM Break Sponsor 760 Woodhill Drive, Lakeland, FL 33813 863-513-2866; www.ClaimsJournal.com Claims Journal is the best news and information resource for Property/ Casualty claims professionals. The sister company of Insurance Journal, CJ is the niche brand read by adjusters, claims managers.

Claims Magazine/PropertyCasualty360 1/31 AM Break Sponsor 3879 E. 120th Avenue, Suite 178, Thornton, CO 80233 303-484-9368; www.alm.com Claims and PropertyCasualty360 offer exclusive coverage of the latest legal issues, disasters, and fraud trends providing expert strategies to Senior Claim Managers & Adjusters.

(As of January 9, 2017)

| 21

2017 WIND Conference Sponsors Danahy & Murray

2/1 Lunch Sponsor 901 W. Swann Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606 813-258-3600; www.danahyandmurray.com Legal firm representing policyholders in the state of Florida.

Duboff Law Firm 1/30 Welcome Reception; 1/31 Lunch; 2/1 PM Break Sponsor 680 NE 127 Street, N. Miami, FL 33161 305-899-0085; www.dubofflawfirm.com We represent policyholders for fun and profit.

EFI Global 1/31 Lunch Sponsor 8811 FM 1960 Bypass Road West, Suite 400, Humble, TX 77338 281-312-3157; www.efiglobal.com EFI Global is a forensic engineering, fire investigation, and environmental services firm. Our scientists, engineers, and investigators provide clients solid solutions to complex issues.

Exponent 1/31 AM Break Sponsor 149 Commonwealth Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025 650-688-6051; www.exponent.com Leading engineering and scientific consulting firm with specialization in atmospheric sciences, structural evaluations, and natural disaster support services.

IN-Line Consulting, LLC 1/31 PM Break Sponsor 402 Bell Court, Woodstock, GA 30188 770-544-0313; www.in-lineconsulting.net IN-Line Consulting, LLC is a full-service loss estimation and construction consulting firm with over 120 years of consulting experience combined. ON-TIME, ON-TARGET, IN-LINE.

Kelley Kronenberg 2/1 Lunch Sponsor 8201 Peters Road, Plantation, FL 33324 561-684-5956; www.kelleykronenberg.com

DIAMOND SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

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GOLD SPONSOR

22 |

2017 WIND Conference Sponsors Koch Parafinczuk & Wolf

2/1 Speakeasy Drink Ticket Sponsor 110 E. Broward Blvd., Suite 1630, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-462-6700; www.kpwlaw.com Representation in a wide variety of legal matters, breach of contract disputes, whistleblower action, professional disciplinary actions, estate planning, real estate trans, employment law, and workers comp.

Marin, Eljaiek & Lopez Hotel Key Card Sponsor 2601 S. Bayshore Drive, Suite 850, Coconut Grove, FL 33133 305-444-5969; www.mellawyers.com Results Driven and Trial Tested. Find out why our law firm is a leader in the representation of policyholders in the State of Florida.

Merlin Law Group 2/1 Casino Night Sponsor 777 S Harbour Island Blvd., Suite 950, Tampa, FL 33602 813-229-1000; www.merlinlawgroup.com Merlin Law Group is a plaintiff's attorney law firm focused on property insurance law and advocating for the policyholder, both in and outside of the courtroom.

Morgan Law Group PA 1/31 Expo Reception Sponsor 55 Merrick Way, Suite 404, Coral Gables, FL 33134 305-569-9900; www.morganlawgroup.net Morgan Law Group specializes in the legal representation of policy holders, owners, and associations in their property claims. Assisting with matters both prior to and in litigation.

National Association of Catastrophe Adjusters 2/1 PM Break Sponsor 105 N. O'Neal Street, PO Box 499, Alvord, TX 76225 817-498-3466; www.nacatadj.org Incorporated in 1976, it is our mission to provide a professional organization focused on excellence in catastrophe insurance adjusting for members through education, shared resources, and technology.

Onsite Claims Services WIND Golf Sponsor 6 Balfour Road East, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 561-627-6626; www.onsiteclaims.com Onsite Claims Service is a full service adjusting company located in South Florida. We specialize in residential and commercial property losses, appraisal representation, and umpire services.

PLATINUM SPONSOR

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GOLF SPONSOR

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SILVER SPONSOR

| 23

2017 WIND Conference Sponsors Salmon & Dulberg Dispute Resolution

1/31 PM Break Sponsor 19 W. Flagler Street, Suite 620, Miami, FL 33130 305-371-5490; www.sd-adr.com Salmon & Dulberg Dispute Resolution provides mediation and umpire services throughout Florida. Our distinguished panel of neutrals has mediated hundreds of First Party cases.

Stockham Law Group, P.A. 1/31 Drink Ticket Sponsor 610 West Horatio Street, Tampa, FL 33606 813-867-4455; www.stockhamlawgroup.com Specializing in property damage claims and property insurance litigation representing ONLY insureds. We are property insurance attorneys committed to helping property owners with insurance claims.

The CLM 1/30 Welcome Reception Sponsor 1306 W. Loveland Avenue, Loveland, OH 45140 513-444-4560; www.theclm.org The Claims and Litigation Management (CLM) Alliance is the only national organization created to meet the needs of professionals in the claims and litigation management.

The Strems Law Firm 2/1 Casino Night Sponsor 2555 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Suite 210, Coral Gables, FL 33134 786-430-0882; www.stremslaw.com The Strems Law firm is a First Party Plaintiff's litigation firm assisting residential and commercial policyholders in insurance coverage disputes.

Twenty First Century Engineering, Inc. 1/31 Lunch Sponsor 836 Bougainvillea Lane, Vero Beach, FL 32963 772-492-1850; www.21st-centuryengineering.com Since 1989, 21st Century Engineering provides forensic expert engineering, inspection, analysis, and cost estimating to insurance, legal, and construction professionals in the SE USA.

Venture Construction Group of Florida, Inc. 2/1 Casino Night; 2/1 Photo Booth Sponsor 301 Yamato Road, Suite 1240, Boca Raton, FL 33431 866-459-8351; www.venturebuilt.com Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL) is a leader in residential and commercial construction, renovations, custom design, property management services, insurance restoration, and storm damage repair.

PLATINUM SPONSOR

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2017 WIND Conference Sponsors Venture Construction Group, Inc.

1/30 Drink Ticket Sponsor; WIND Golf Sponsor 301 Yamato Road, Suite 1240, Boca Raton, FL 33431 866-459-8351; www.vcgfl.com Venture Construction Group is a leader in residential and commercial construction, renovations, custom design, property management services, insurance restoration, storm damage repairs, and 24/7 emergencies.

Virtual Claims Adjuster Registration Tote Bag Sponsor 2425 Matheson Blvd. East, 8th Floor, Mississauga, ON L4W 5K4 416.855.9317 ext. 111; www.virtualclaimsadjuster.com VCA is a global provider of a highly secure, easy to use, customizable web-based claims management system. Platform options are available to suit all budgets.

ZAP Consulting 1/31 PM Break Sponsor 6701 Carmel Road, Suite 116, Charlotte, NC 28226 888-406-0980; www.zap-consulting.com ZAP Consulting provides onsite diagnostic evaluations of electronics, appliances, and HVAC systems. ZAP's nationwide coverage enables property adjusters to settle claims promptly and confidently.

SILVER SPONSOR

WIND 2017 S Connec e p e oo r

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24 |

We Mediate first Party Cases

Robert Dulberg Richard Eade Curtis Hutchens

Michael Lax Heidi Roth John Salmon Victor Tobin

Call Martha at 305-371-5490 to Schedule Your Next Case for Mediation!

View Our Entire Panel at www.sd-adr.comMiami | Coral Gables | Fort Lauderdale | Plantation | Boca Raton | West Palm Beach | Jacksonville

Mediators & Umpires Are Available Statewide

26 | sponsored by Claims Journal

Stay Connected www.windnetwork.mobi

2017 WIND Conference Exhibitors

AirMD, Inc. Booth #117 7700 Congress Avenue, Suite 1119, Boca Raton, FL 33487 561-245-4500; www.airmd.com AirMD provides comprehensive indoor environmental testing and consulting services nationwide.

Ally Onsite Booth #215 216 16th Street, Suite 820, Denver, CO 80202 888-379-3343; www.allyonsite.com/emergency-response Ally Onsite specializes in rental equipment & services related to Restoration & Drying Equipment, Emergency Power & Distribution, & Climate and Humidity Control.

American Educational Institute Booth #314 PO Box 356, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 800-631-8183; www.aeiclaimslaw.com American Educational Institute is the premier provider of self-study insurance claims law programs. Courses lead to industry-recognized designations, including the Senior Claim Law Associate (SCLA).

APEC Engineering & Laboratory, LLC Booth #212 201 C.R. 138, Hutto, TX 78634 512-989-9805; www.apec-llc.com APEC Engineering & Laboratory provide commercial & residential engineering services licensed in 19 states. Our testing laboratory is accredited by the International Accreditation Service.

Arnesen Webb, P.A. Booth #317 900 N. Federal Hwy, Suite 280, Boca Raton, FL 33432 561-757-6000; www.insurancelawyers.org

Aspen Claims Service Booth #115 10940 S. Parker Road, Parker, CO 80134 888-819-5904 x116; www.aspenclaims.com

Bar List Publishing Booth #402 25000 Center Ridge Road, Cleveland, OH 44145 800-533-2500; www.barlist.com Since 1889, insurance professionals have preferred using 'The Green Books' to retain attorneys, adjusters, expert service providers, appraisers, property specialists, and agents worldwide.

Casualty Adjuster's Guide Booth #216 8928 Shenandoah Run, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 813-651-2041; www.caginfo.com Books published for the use of adjusters and Insurance carriers as a resource guide.

(As of 1/11/2017)

sponsored by Claims Journal | 27



Cat 5 Restoration Booth #202 5512 Pioneer Park Blvd., Tampa, FL 33634 855-479-0911; www.c5restores.com Cat 5 Restoration is a full service, 24 hour disaster mitigation, recovery, and reconstructive service with over 20 years experience in both commercial and residential projects.

CED Technologies, Inc. Booth #315 6817 Southpoint Parkway, Suite 1901, Jacksonville, FL 32216 904-281-7935; www.cedtechnologies.com CED provides litigation support and expertise for some of the most well-known law firms, insurance companies, and manufacturers; specializing in Forensic engineering and accident reconstruction.

Certified Mold Free Corp. Booth #319 2881 W. Lake Vista Circle, Davie, FL 33328 954-614-6860; www.Free-Mold-Training.org State Licensed to provide training and initial licensing exams for Fla Mold Assessors & Remediators. Adjusters and Restoration contractors get your Mold license. Training is 100% free.

Claims Consultants LLC Booth #316 5485 7th Street, Satsuma, AL 36572 251-653-9777; www.claimsconsultantsllc.com Claims Consultants, LLC is based out of Mobile, Alabama. We provide nationwide claims services for daily/catastrophe losses for all perils.

Claimside Booth #104 623 Chandler Drive, Aledo, TX 76008 817-223-6747; www.Claimside.com The goal of our team is to show people that there is an entire industry which exists solely for the purpose of resolving claims.

CompuWeather Past Historical Weather Booth #200 2566 Route 52, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 845-592-7470; www.compuweather.com

Contents Only Booth #217 1800 W. 10th Street, Riviera Beach, FL 33404 561-841-8411; www.contentsonly.net Contents Only is a single source solution for handling Contents Cleaning and Total Loss Inventory pricing. We also provide Pack Out & Storage services.

CRDN Booth #218 2060 Coolidge Hwy, Berkley, MI 48072 248-246-7878; www.crdn.com CRDN's textile restoration experts follow standardized processes for inventory and restoration of garments and other fabric items affected by fire, smoke, water, or other contaminants.




CTLGroup and Williams Building Diagnostics Booth #210 5400 Old Orchard Road, Skokie, IL 60077 847-965-7500; www.ctlgroup.com CTLGroup and its subsidiary firm, Williams Building Diagnostics, specialize in forensic engineering, risk management, expert witness testimony, and building enclosure services.

David Low & Associates, P.A. Booth #118 20195 N.E. 16th Place, Second Floor, Miami, FL 33179 305-935-8986; www.davidlawpa.com Our goal is to make our clients’ experience, while dealing with the denial or under-payment of their property insurance claim, as effortless as possible.

DryMetrics Booth #214 509 E. Church Street, Orlando, FL 32801 800-709-2150; www.Drymetrics.com We offer commercial and residential water mitigation services. Our technicians are certified, knowledgeable, and have the equipment necessary to successfully detect moisture and minimize water loss.

EFI Global Booth #310 8811 FM 1960 Bypass Road West, Suite 400, Humble, TX 77338 281-312-3157; www.efiglobal.com EFI Global is a forensic engineering, fire investigation, and environmental services firm. Our scientists, engineers, and investigators provide clients solid solutions to complex issues.

ERS-Electronic Restoration Services Booth #307 12001 Levan Road, Livonia, MI 48150 404-623-2392; www.ers-us.com

Exponent Booth #103 149 Commonwealth Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025 650-688-6051; www.exponent.com Leading engineering and scientific consulting firm with specialization in atmospheric sciences, structural evaluations, and natural disaster support services.

FAPIA Booth #109 9100 South Dadeland Blvd., Suite 1500, Miami, FL 33156 866-235-6489; www.fapia.net Public adjusters are insurance professionals who offer a safety net for policyholders. Find your own adjuster at www.yourownadjuster.com

Feel Good, Inc. Booth #410 1460 Gemini Blvd #8, Orlando, FL 32837 407-986-3351; www.feelgoodinc.org Feel Good, Inc. provides portable TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) units offering a wide variety of benefits including alleviating back, nerve, post-op, diabetic pain, and migraines.




Forensic Weather Consultants Booth #300 1971 Western Avenue, #200, Albany, NY 12203 518-862-1800; www.weatherconsultants.com U.S. Forensic specializes in: Structural Forensics, IAQ/Water Loss, Duration of Loss, Flooring Damage, Mechanical & Electrical, Fire Investigation, VAR, Catastrophe Response, & Flood Damage Analysis.

GC3, LLC Booth #305 1200 12th Street, West Des Moines, IA 50265 515-267-2490; www.GC3Builders.com GC3's Expertise with Disaster Recovery; Construction Methods and Means; and Knowledge in Property Claims allows GC3 to be the Ideal Partner for Insurance Companies.

General Estimating and Contracting, Inc. Booth #213 875 NE 4th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441 954-818-2979; www.gecflorida.com Residential General Contractor

GHD Booth #120 4019 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33617 813-971-3882; www.ghd.com GHD is one of the world's leading professional services companies operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation.

Gimenez & Carrillo, LLC Booth #412 5775 Blue Lagoon Drive, Suite 300, Miami, FL 33126 305-444-3000; www.gimenezandcarrillo.com The firm’s partners have over 20 years of legal experience handling 1st party insurance claims throughout the state. Offices are located in Miami, WPB, and Orlando.

Grindley Williams Engineering Booth #414 116 S. Tennessee Avenue, Suite 200, Lakeland, FL 33759 863-676-2600; www.grindleywilliams.com Grindley Williams Engineering specializes in Structural and Geotechnical Engineering. We cover the entire state of Florida.

Haag Engineering Co. Booth #201 4949 W. Royal Lane, Irving, TX 75063 800-527-0168; www.HaagGlobal.com Haag is a multi-faceted forensic engineering and consulting company offering forensic engineering, research/testing, educational seminars/tools, construction consulting, and 3D laser scanning/modeling.

HD Law Partners Booth #312 2002 N. Lois Avenue, Suite 510, Tampa, FL 33607 813-253-5333; www.hdlawpartners.com A Full Service Law Firm appointments available in Tampa/St. Petersburg, Sarasota/Bradenton, Orlando, Fort Myers/Naples, and Ocala. This will be our second year as an exhibitor at WINDSTORM.




Helicon Property Restoration Booth #100 11103 North 46th Street, Building B, Tampa, FL 33617 844-HELICON; www.HeliconUSA.com Emergency Restoration to Reconstruction to Sinkhole Repair.

Insurance Appraisal and Umpire Association Booth #111 1808 James L. Redman Pkwy, Suite 391, Plant City, FL 33563 813-757-6450; www.iaua.us IAUA is the only association focused solely on Appraisal, providing Certification of Umpires and Appraisers and education of stakeholders in the Appraisal Process.

Integrity Adjusters LLC - Integrity CAT Services LLC Booths #301 & 303 27576 Cahaba Drive, Daphne, AL 36526 251-432-2877; www.integrityadjusters.com Integrity Adjusters is a Nationwide Provider for Damage Appraisal, Multi-Line Adjustment, TPA/Claims Management Administration, and Quality Control Development on a Client Specific basis.

Liberty Extraction & Drying Booth #311 18495 S. Dixie Hwy # 177, Cutler Bay, FL 33157 305-744-4185; www.libertyrestores.com We are Certified IICRC Master Water Restores - State Licensed Mold Remediators/Assessors. In Times of emergency, you can count on Liberty Extraction & Drying to help you protect and preserve your property. 1-855-55-WEDRY

Lozano Insurance Adjusters Booth #219 9550 Regency Square Blvd., Suite 807, Jacksonville, FL 32225 904-821-3475; www.lozanoadjusters.com Lozano Insurance Adjusters, Inc. is a multiple lines independent adjusting firm providing claim services, including TPA, Catastrophe, Subrogation, SIU, Staffing, and Litigation Management.

Madsen, Kneppers & Associates Inc. Booth #101 550 N. Reo Street, Suite 303, Tampa, FL 33609-1037 813-288-8881; www.mkainc.com MKA is a multi-disciplinary construction consulting and engineering firm, providing seamless support and specialized services to the Construction, Legal, and Insurance Industries.

Malik Law Firm Booth #304 1601 Maitland Center Commons Blvd., Maitland, FL 32751 407-929-8115; www.imaliklaw.com Experts in homeowners cases and litigation.

Merlin Law Group Booths #110 & 112 777 S. Harbour Island Blvd., Suite 950, Tampa, FL 33602 813-229-1000; www.merlinlawgroup.com Merlin Law Group is a plaintiff's attorney law firm focused on property insurance law and advocating for the policyholder, both in and outside of the courtroom.




Booth #107 21165 Whitfield Place, #105, Potomac Falls, VA 20165 703-433-9217; www.napia.com Founded in 1951, the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters advocates for public adjuster education and a high standard of professional conduct and ethics.

National Insurance Housing Booth #416 265 Santa Helena, Suite 210, Solana Beach, CA 92075 800-550-1911; www.nationalinsurancehousing.com

National Insurance Restoration Council Booth #205 3956 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 523, Orlando, FL 32837 855-672-6472; www.nirc4change.org The National Insurance Restoration Council is a Non-Profit organization devoted to protecting and educating property owners and restoration contractors when dealing with insurance claims.

Nativo Inc. Flooring Consultants Booth #318 11420 Interchange Circle North, Miramar, FL 33025 954-540-0087; www.nativoinc.net Are you seeking a different option to adjust a claim? Nativo Inc provides repair options for flooring claims. We serve all the United States.

Nelson Forensics Booth #211 2740 Dallas Parkway, Suite 220, Plano, TX 75093 469-429-9000; www.nelsonforensics.com Nelson Forensics is a nationwide multi-discipline forensic investigation and consulting firm specializing in Engineering, Architecture, Chemistry & Environmental Science, Cost Estimating, Materials Testing, & Evidence Storage.

Booth #122 2222 Corinth Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90064 800-990-9292; www.insurancehousingsolutions.com Insurance Housing Solutions™, an Oakwood Worldwide® brand, is the premier provider of emergency housing solutions for insurance professionals and displaced policyholders.

Omega Forensic Engineering, Inc. Booth #401 12508 NW 74th Place, Parkland, FL 33076 954-255-0802; www.omegaforensic.com “Omega Forensic Engineering is a Professional Engineering firm providing support to Insurers, Adjusters, Attorneys, Owners, and Property Managers.”

Paramount Disaster Recovery Booth #207 1111 SE Federal Highway, Suite 124, Stuart, FL 34994 800-379-0122; www.pdrhelps.com We provide crucial disaster recovery services to property and business owners.




Phoenix Ultrasonic Restoration Booth #406 1807 S. Powerline Road, Suite 101, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 954-821-6981; www.phoenixultrasonic.com Premier CONTENTS restoration/cleaning Lab, utilizing state-of-the-art Ultrasonic equipment. Providing personal property "white gloves" Pack-Out service, storage, and detailed inventory documentation.

.ProNet Group, Inc. Booth #113 4081 SW 47th Avenue, Suite 20, Davie, FL 33314 954-809-4597; www.pronetgroup.com We are a forensic engineering and fire investigation firm.

RECROMAX Booth #102 275 Hunt Park Cove, Longwood, FL 32750 407-494-7226; www.recromax.com Recromax is a full-service GC that handles property losses due to FIRE, FLOOD, MOLD, & STORM damages. Ready to RESPOND, RESTORE, & RETURN you back to your home or business.

Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc. Booth #309 7851 Woodland Center Blvd., Tampa, FL 33614 813-289-3060; www.rimkus.com Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc. is a worldwide provider of forensic consulting services to insurance companies, law firms, corporations, and government agencies, assisting clients in responsive, timely resolution of claims and disputes

ROIG Lawyers Booth #204 1255 S. Military Trail, Suite 100, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 954-462-0330; www.roiglawyers.com ROIG Lawyers is a minority owned litigation firm delivering a DIFFERENT experience of extraordinary and uncommon character and unprecedented attitude behind first-rate legal work.

Root Cause Consulting Booth #209 36181 East Lake Road, #402, Palm Harbor, FL 34685 888-566-0815; www.rootcauseconsulting.com We are a multi-disciplinary consulting company specializing in forensic engineering, failure analysis and accident investigations.

ServiceMaster Restore Booth #208 889 Ridge Lake Blvd., Memphis, TN 38120 832-415-7016; www.servicemasterrestore.com ServiceMaster Restore and SRM have been delivering superior disaster restoration services to homes and businesses for more than 60 years.

Simsol Software Booth #400 8206 Serenity Spring Drive, Windermere, FL 34786 800-447-4676; www.simsol.com Simsol is our flagship product for adjusters and contractors. Originally developed in 1984, our estimating software has evolved into a complete end-to-end solution for adjusters.




Stephens Engineering Consultants Booth #313 7 Switchbud Place, Suite 120, The Woodlands, TX 77380 888-300-0642; http://stephensengineering.com Stephens Engineering expertise provides precise, decisive, and impartial forensic-engineering investigative cause and origin reporting for damage (hail, wind, flood, etc.) to residential and commercial properties.

Stockham Law Group, P.A. Booth #418 610 West Horatio Street, Tampa, FL 33606 813-867-4455; www.stockhamlawgroup.com Specializing in property damage claims and property insurance litigation representing ONLY insureds. We are property insurance attorneys committed to helping property owners with insurance claims.

Temporary Housing Directory - THD Booth #302 3308 Preston Road, 350-341, Plano, TX 75093 800-817-3220; www.temporaryhousingdirectory.com THD offers a full service, transparent, and flexible ALE solutions for hotel and housing placements nationwide.

The Vertex Companies, Inc. Booth #203 15333 JFK Blvd., Suite 100, Houston, TX 77032 781-952-6000; www.vertexeng.com VERTEX is a national construction, fire investigation, and forensic engineering firm known for their accuracy, prompt report delivery, and swift response to any natural disaster.

U.S. Forensic Booth #306 580 Village Boulevard, Suite 260, West Palm Beach, FL 33409 561-253-0839; www.sd-adr.com Structural Forensics, Indoor Air Quality, Water Loss, Duration of Loss, Flooring Damage, Mechanical & Electrical, Fire Investigation, Vehicular Accident Reconstruction, CAT Response, & Flood Damage Analysis.

US Building Consultants, Inc. Booth #408 1722 NW 80th Blvd., Suite 70, Gainesville, FL 32606 352-505-6771; www.usbuildingconsultants.com USBCI offers building envelope consulting, moisture engineering, and system controls. We can take your project from start to finish with inspection/testing to project management.

Booths #409 & 508 301 Yamato Road, Suite 1240, Boca Raton, FL 33431 866-459-8351; www.vcgfl.com Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL) is a leader in residential and commercial construction, renovations, custom design, property management services, insurance restoration, storm damage repairs.

VetCor LLC Booth #404 6302 Benjamin Road, Suite 411, Tampa, FL 33634 813-283-9759; www.vetcorservices.com VetCor is an IICRC certified restoration company, staffed by veterans that solve water and mold damage challenges in commercial and residential property throughout south Florida.




VIP Software Booth #206 360 Central Avenue, Suite 1210, St. Petersburg, FL 33777 813-837-4347; www.vipsoftware.com VIP Software offers innovative, plug-and-play software that transforms P&C insurance collaboration into secure, end-to-end automation in claims management, document control, and analytical reporting.

Wilkofsky, Friedman, Karel & Cummins Booth #500 299 Broadway,17th Floor, New York, NY 10007 212-285-0510; www.wfkclaw.com National law firm specializing in representing victims of disasters against the insurance industry.

Windstorm Insurance Network Networking Area 2929 Langley Avenue, Suite 203, Pensacola, FL 32504 850-473-0601; www.windnetwork.com Windstorm Insurance Network is a member association formed in 1999 to offer education and industry insight for professionals from all facets of the property/ windstorm insurance claims industry.

Wolfe Law Group Booth #105 3801 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 300, Hollywood, FL 33021 954-474-5333; www.WolfeLawGroup.us Wolfe Law Group is a National Law firm representing policyholders on their property damage insurance claims. When the insurance company does not treat your fairly, simply “SEND IN THE WOLFE.”

Xactware Booth #119 1100 W. Traverse Parkway, Lehi, UT 84043 801-764-5900; www.Xactware.com Xactware, a Verisk Insurance Solutions business, provides the tools professional property insurance adjusters use to navigate the challenging, demanding task of handling claims, large or small.

ZAP Consulting Booth #308 6701 Carmel Road, Suite 116, Charlotte, NC 28226 888-406-0980; www.zap-consulting.com ZAP Consulting provides onsite diagnostic evaluations of electronics, appliances, and HVAC systems. ZAP’s nationwide coverage enables property adjusters to settle claims promptly and confidently.

DONAN Booth #403 12450 Lake Station Place, Louisville, KY 40299 800-482-5611; www.donan.com Donan is a full-service, world class, forensic investigation firm with offices throughout the United States.

WIND “HUB” EXPO HOURS Monday ▪ 4-7pm

Tuesday ▪ 10am-3:45pm & & 5:30-7pm Wednesday ▪ 10am-2pm

WIND EXPO RAFFLE Two Drawings and Final Grand Prize

You must be present to win


The Assignment of Benefits ‘Insurance Crisis’ in FloridaBy Amy O’Connor

Assignment of benefits abuse has become such a well-known problem in Florida

that it now just goes by the nickname “AOB.” The issue with AOB comes from when policyholders suffer a loss, such as water damage to their home, and then signs over their insurance policy to the person repair-ing the damage. Repair contractors using the AOB on behalf of the insured often work with attorneys who then sue the insurance company over the claim. Florida’s one-way attorney fee statute has encouraged these suits because the insurance company is typically left paying the attor-ney fees. In many cases, policyholders don’t know the lawsuit has even been filed. Florida’s state-run insurer Citizens has been the most affected by this abuse. Citizens CEO and Executive Director Barry Gilway says that the negative impact on the pricing of property insurance and availabil-ity of coverage in Florida is getting worse. He says while the gross misuse of the AOB form is a major component of the issue, the problem has really become a litigation issue relating to all non-wind water claims. “The situation is deteriorating even further at Citizens,” Gilway says. “Despite a book of business that has stabilized at around 490,000 policies, we are now projecting the number of lawsuits received each month will grow from 900 (in 2016) to more than 1,000 in 2017. And yes, it is the same 10 to 15

firms that continue to be responsible for 60 percent of the litigation across the state.” At the beginning of the year, Citizens released an analysis in response to a data call from the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) that found claims using an AOB were almost twice as expensive and more likely to lead to litigation.

Southern Florida Abuse The abuse has been the most rampant in Southern Florida, specifically in the Tri-County region of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. “All companies, particularly those with any relevant market share in the Tri-County area, are experiencing the same result,” Gilway says. These losses are driving Citizens’ 2017 budget request, which was approved by the Citizens Board of Governors Dec. 7. For 2017, Citizens has estimated net operating losses of $100 million in its inland residential poli-cy lines, with losses concentrated in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, where the bulk of litigated and AOB claims originate. The abuse has also led Citizens to raise homeowners rates by an average of 6.4 per-cent statewide in 2017. Many other home-owners insurers in the state are raising rates because of AOB. The industry, frustrated that the Florida Legislature failed to tackle the issue for the fourth year in a row in the 2016 session, have taken matters into their own hands.

In addition to raising rates, Citizens and other insurers have filed policy form changes with OIR to clarify policy wording regard-ing loss reporting, use of emergency services and the nature of permanent repairs, at the department’s encouragement. Some companies are also limiting the number of policies they will write in the Tri-County region.

‘We are confident that people are aware there is a serious problem. We are hopeful and expect a legislative solution.’

In its third quarter conference call on Nov. 9, Heritage Insurance, one of the largest take-out companies of Citizens, indicated it will be more selective on what policies it will look at in this area. “There are just wholesale areas in Tri-County on a personal lines basis that we think are at this point in time uninsurable,” Bruce Lucas, CEO of Heritage says. “Therefore, we have really curbed that voluntary production down there quite significantly for I’d say the past six months. Until we see a fix on the legislative level to the assignment of benefit uses taking place down there, we’re really not interested in doubling down [in] Tri- County at this point.”

continued on Page 45


Industry Dodges Bullet Florida Ends 11-Year Hurricane Drought

By Amy O’Connor

In September, Hurricane Hermine broke Florida’s hurricane drought that had

lasted since 2005. The category 1 storm hit the Florida Panhandle, bringing significant storm surge to the Tampa Bay area before slowly traveling up the Eastern Seaboard. The storm weakened to a tropical storm as it moved inland in Florida, with winds topping 70 miles per hour, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. But the storm was still enough to cause widespread damage and power outages. Toppled trees in Tallahassee left some residents without power for a week. “This was a very typical CAT 1 hurricane,” says Karen Clark, CEO of catastrophe risk management firm Karen Clark & Co. (KCC). “The biggest losses [were] from trees falling on houses. There was a lot of damage in Tallahassee … there were some commercial losses, but really, the wind speeds weren’t enough to create structural damage unless a tree fell.” Cat modeling firms, such as KCC, pegged the damage in the $1 billion range and said the claims from the storm were nothing insurers couldn’t handle. Then in October, Hurricane Matthew hit. The storm was classified as a category 3 with winds of 120 miles per hour.

Dodged a Bullet The insurance industry says this storm could have been a lot worse and the state dodged a bullet, as the destruction left behind by Matthew wasn’t as bad as what was originally anticipated. Storm experts say that’s because the storm didn’t hit land as the category 4 hurricane that affected Haiti a few days earlier. “When Matthew was nearing Florida, there was a large amount of uncertainty of whether there would be more wind and storm surge, or less because the storm was paralleling so close to the coast,” says Tom Sabbatelli, RMS hurricane risk expert based

in the U.K. Sabbatelli says since Matthew stayed about 50 miles off the coast and the hurricane-force winds remained around the center of eye, the state was spared from extreme devasta-tion. “Florida avoided the strongest of the winds,” he says. Cat modeling firms have estimated Matthew damage at $10 billion, but “there isn’t any concern of [Matthew] affecting the stability of the marketplace,” says William Stander, executive director for the Florida Property & Casualty Association (FPCA). CEO and Executive Director of Citizens Barry Gilway says the company had more than 10 years to prepare, and its efforts paid off when it came to responding to these events. “The 2016 hurricanes Hermine and Matthew were a real test for Citizens and for many of the new ‘untested’ companies in Florida,” Gilway says. “Our claims organi-zation responded very effectively, but more

importantly the feedback we received from our customers and our agents was all very positive.” Furthermore, he says the storm helped address concerns as to whether Florida take-out companies, which had not experienced an event such as Matthew, could handle a large influx of claims.

‘The 2016 hurricanes Hermine and Matthew were a real test for Citizens and for many of the new ‘untest-ed’ companies in Florida.’

“Those questions were answered with a resounding ‘Yes,’” Gilway says. “These com-panies all performed exceptionally well, clearly showing their customers they were more than prepared.” Florida CFO Jeff Atwater and


Commissioner David Altmaier hosted an “Insurance Roundtable” on Dec. 2 to mark the end of the 2016 hurricane season. Representatives from 25 insurance com-panies operating in Florida attended, as well as officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to discuss storm-related claims with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). “This was a hurricane season that I think we all knew was coming,” Altmaier says. “There is no illusion, certainly in this room, that we’ll go another 11 years without hurri-cane activity.” Altmaier praised the insurance industry for its work with the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) in the days before and after the storms, saying there wasn’t a “single insurance company I wasn’t able to get in touch with in a short period of time.” “The responsiveness I witnessed with respect

to our outreach to you and the Office’s outreach was just superb,” he says.

Claims OIR reported there have been more than 112,000 insurance claims totaling $729 million in losses as a result of Matthew, and 18,000 insur-ance claims totaling $95 million as a result of Hermine. Altmaier says neither storm raised concerns that insurers wouldn’t be able to pay claims, and neither event should affect the Florida Hurricane Cat Fund. As these insurance claims are processed, paid and closed, Atwater and Altmaier have closely followed the insurance indus-try’s claims-paying practices to ensure that Floridians are treated fairly and their claims are handled appropriately, OIR said in a statement. Altmaier is encouraged by the responsive-

ness of the insurance industry in handling claims relating to the storms. “We will not accept anything less than the best and most efficient effort from every sin-gle insurance company operating in the state of Florida,” Atwater says. “Commissioner Altmaier and I are pleased with what we’ve seen thus far, but we will continue to meet with residents until Floridians’ concerns have been addressed.” The hurricanes, while not as destructive as they could have been, did remind resi-dents of the perils the catastrophic-prone state faces. “Florida had two hurricanes this year … but from a purely technical perspective, they didn’t make landfall in Florida though they came close,” Sabbatelli says. “But, from a technical perspective Florida still hasn’t had a major hurricane since 2005. There is defi-nitely the potential for worse.”


When is a Public Adjuster Not a Public Adjuster?By Jason Wolf

Nearly every single person involved in an insurance claim has some form of

professional license. Whether a Bar license, a roofing license or an adjusting license, it makes sense that our government establishes criteria for people to deal with insurance claims. Some people have decided that they don’t want to bother following the laws that apply to the rest of us.

In most states, attorneys can adjust home-owner insurance claims without an adjuster license. With few exceptions, these attorneys rarely climb onto roofs and crawl under houses to prepare their estimates. Instead, they hire someone to take measurements and scope properties. They often hire some-one else to input that data into an estimating program and spit out a professional looking estimate. It’s not just attorneys who often hire someone else to take measurements and

prepare estimates. Often licensed public adjusters also hire someone to do the dirty and mundane work of walking on roofs, measuring rooms, drawing diagrams, creep-ing into dripping cabinets and all the other necessary work that goes into preparing a valid estimate. There is nothing wrong with an adjuster or attorney paying someone a flat fee, hourly fee or using any other financial arrangement to pay someone to help prepare the estimate. Lately, however, an entirely different breed


of estimator or unlicensed adjuster has been emerging with increasing frequency. To wit: What happens when the estima-tor sets out on his own? He has his own company. He prepares estimates. He takes a percentage of the recovery. He requires the insured to sign a contract memorializing his right to keep a contingent payment of the insurance proceeds. Does this sound like a public adjuster? It certainly looks that way. Yet this person is unlicensed. The reasons for his failure to obtain a license are unclear. He may not have both-ered to put in the work necessary to obtain a license. He may have failed the test. He may just be skirting the law. It should go without saying that if a profession requires a license, it is illegal to engage in the profession without obtaining the license. By statutory definition, a public

adjuster is a person who “for money, com-mission, or any other thing of value acts on behalf of an insured or aids an insured” either in “negotiating” for a claim or “effect-ing the settlement of a claim.” (Editor’s Note: This is the Florida definition from Fla. Stat. 626.854(1); most states have similar definitions). The person who acts like a public adjust-er, does everything a public adjuster does, except for specifically negotiating with the insurance company. But holding himself out to be a public adjuster would be to do so illegally.

Unlicensed Adjusters As a defense attorney, I often see the unli-censed estimator attempt to flout the law by stating that he or she does not participate in negotiations with an insurance company. I have found that these unlicensed adjusters are careful. They really do not negotiate with the carrier because they know that doing so would be illegal. The adjuster typically works in conjunction with a policyholder attorney, who properly handles the negotia-tions with the insurer. But these people are not as careful as they think they are because negotiating with the insurance company is only one part of the definition. It says that if someone “acts on behalf of” a policyholder toward “effecting a settlement of a claim” then that person is serving as a public adjuster. It’s unnecessary to delve into the nuance of the wording of the statute. If you take a percentage to help someone settle a claim, you are adjusting.

It should go without saying that if a profession requires a license, it is illegal to engage in the profession without obtaining the license. In most circumstances that I have wit-nessed, these unlicensed adjusters operate on the fringes of homeowner insurance claims. They have cozy relationships with plumbers and handymen, who recommend their services and pay referral fees. I will stop short of calling this an outright kickback or bribe because there is nothing inherently wrong with a plumber giving the name of an adjuster to an insured who

has a potential insurance claim. That’s busi-ness. But what I see is that these unlicensed adjusters take advantage of unsophisticated homeowners who later tell me under oath in depositions that they were under the impression that the adjuster would handle everything for them.

Fighting Back People on both sides of the fence — pol-icyholder side and company side — should be sufficiently motivated to take swift action to combat this new breed of unli-censed public adjusting. Plainly and simply, adjusting without a license while giving off the impression that you have a license is a third-degree felony. Whether our hard-work-ing and typically understaffed regulators pursue these types of fraudsters all the way through prosecution is a function of allocat-ing government resources. Policyholder attorneys should immedi-ately stop using these unlicensed adjusters. Using someone who earns a flat or hourly fee for preparing an estimate or measuring a house is fine. Using someone who has a contract which appears nearly identical to a public adjuster contract, with a few tweaks, is standing by quietly while someone com-mits a third-degree felony. The attorney is probably sufficiently detached from the pro-cess so that he or she is not actually helping someone commit a crime, but he is not help-ing clean up our industry. Insurance company adjusters should get their special investigation units involved when they come across these scurrilous characters. Licensing data is usually easy to find, either online or with a quick call to insurance departments. Insurers should also refuse to name the unlicensed adjuster on the check when a claim is paid. Ultimately, it is up to everyone to combat this fraud.

Jason Wolf is lead partner, Property Insurance

Defense Practice, at Koch Parafinczuk &

Wolf, P.A., in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His

practice area focuses on first party property

insurance defense.


Effective Communication is Key When Handling Claims in the Aftermath of a HurricaneBy Jose Pagan

With the recent landfall of hurricanes Matthew and Hermine, property

adjusters will be called upon to handle more claims with greater efficiency. In order to meet that challenge, adjusters have to be focused and balanced in meeting both their professional obligations, while successfully finalizing an increased number of claims. Handling property claims is taxing enough without the additional volume pre-sented by hurricane losses. Nevertheless, we must comply with certain standards required by both company guidelines and general insurance industry regulation in doing so. In the aftermath of a hurricane, we must remember that claimants may not necessar-ily understand the level or volume of work that each adjuster may be asked to perform in excess of “typical” operations. The influx of hundreds or even thousands of new claims, in addition to working or coordinat-ing with catastrophe adjusters, independent

adjusters or public adjusters, requires a re-fo-cusing of effort in a more stressful environ-ment. In order to successfully manage this situation — effective communication is key.

Poor Communication In my experience, problems in the claims setting typically arise due to communication issues between the insureds or their repre-sentatives and their adjusters. In some instances, the customers’ expec-tations, as opposed to realistic goals, may be the issue. In other cases, the customers simply have no knowledge of what is either reasonable or required to bring their case to a conclusion. In either respect, the adjuster should educate the customer so that they understand and can assist with bringing the claim to a conclusion. In our more connected environment, people expect expedited (sometimes instan-taneous) responses. While some claims or issues do not lend themselves to such imme-diate resolution, we must endeavor to edu-cate our customers as to the process so that

they will understand what is expected and reasonable. This does not equate to either ignoring nor postponing action, but rather explaining reasonable goals to meet and hopefully exceed the customer’s expectations once the issue is resolved. This will result in less stress for both adjusters and insureds, as well as better efficiency in claims resolution.

Listen to the Customer Remember that our industry is focused on people. When damage occurs, people may become distraught, angry or confused. As a result, there are varied responses: some people cry, some people yell, some people get quiet, and some just do not understand. Listening to the customer’s issue rather than simply the tone will help identify and resolve any problems, as well as conclude the claim. Remember that nobody likes to be put off, especially when their home has been dam-aged. While you may not be able to handle every phone call, e-mail, letter or request at the very instant received, you do have to


respond within a reasonable time. You must learn to prioritize — set real-istic deadlines for each case and commu-nicate them to the insured timely. Do not promise something that cannot realistically be accomplished, as that will lead to frus-tration. At the same time, follow through on those deadlines and goals you have set. We should endeavor to communicate with the insureds or their representatives as to the best way of resolving the issue. So even if we do not have “the” answer, communicat-ing with the insured to advise that we are working on the issue and when we expect to conclude the matter will go a long way toward better understanding and lessened frustration in resolving claims. Meeting or exceeding the goal will alleviate stress from all parties. Obviously, this is not always a guarantee that a complication or frustration will not affect the process. However, communication will generally help. Recall that we rely on third parties (whether it’s the insureds, their contractors, outside adjusters or other

Listening to the customer’s issue rather than simply the tone will help identify and resolve any problems, as well as conclude the claim persons) to provide information and assistance necessary to conclude each claim. Sometimes obtaining the additional informa-tion required from outside sources can be a challenge. If this happens, communicating with the insured can often lead them to pro-vide assistance in expediting the receipt of information from third parties and also help to overcome any problems. Finally, if you feel overwhelmed or are facing an issue you haven’t encountered before, do not be afraid to ask for help. We have all had to endure something or someone so new, difficult or strange that we were not equipped to properly respond. Recognizing that we need help is critical; the sooner assistance is sought the less time it will take to resolve the issue. Also if you

have a problem prioritizing tasks, ask your managers for help. While managers will be similarly overtaxed, knowing that your cases will be handled expeditiously should more than make up for time spent assisting you. Effective communication with both internal and exter-nal parties leads to better manage-ment and resolution of increased demands required in a challeng-ing claims environ-ment fol-lowing the aftermath of a hurri-cane.

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Joe Pagan, a partner with Walton, Lantaff,

Schroeder & Carson LLP, focuses his

practice primarily in the areas of insur-

ance defense and regulatory matters, at

both the trial and appellate levels.


How Drone Use Helped Resolve Hurricane Matthew Claims for TravelersBy Denise Johnson

Last fall, The Travelers Companies Inc., announced that it would be

using drones to assist in assessing dam-age resulting from Hurricane Matthew. The insurer deployed a team of newly trained drone operators to inspect resi-dential and commercial property damage in the five states impacted by the hurri-cane. “We’re also flying drones in Texas and a couple of other locations around the country,” said Jim Wucherpfennig, vice president, Property Claim for Travelers. “We’re learning every day and inspecting different types of damages, from some small hail damage that we’ve seen in the San Antonio area recently in Texas to…trees on roofs and wind damage, those types of damages that we saw more with Hurricane Matthew.” The newly trained drone operators are claims adjusters who have been trained to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) drone regulations and have been certified by the agency as unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operators. “Hurricane Matthew’s strong winds and heavy rain caused property damage in a number of communities,” said Patrick Gee, senior vice president of Claim at Travelers. “Our use of drones will help customers recover from losses more quickly because it expedites inspections, payments and repairs. The drones also help protect our claim pro-fessionals by eliminating the need to climb ladders to inspect roofs and other elevated structures.”

Drone Training Travelers launched its drone training program last spring in anticipation of the FAA’s commer-cial drone regulations, which took effect in August. By the end of that month, Travelers’ first group of 20 property claim handlers were trained.

According to Wucherpfennig, the in-house five-day program was conducted in Windsor, Conn., at the insurer’s claims training facility known as Claim University, a 200,000 square feet former airplane hangar. The program begins with a drone sim-ulation using a joystick and a computer. Then adjusters move on to microdrones and regular sized drones which they can practice flying in and outdoors. The program offers education on how using drones will better serve their customers, FAA regulations and protocols, wind conditions as well as other internal training criteria. “We can fly indoors, over the homes and businesses that are under the roof. We also have outdoor flying areas on site at Claim University,” Wucherpfennig said. Though the FAA doesn’t require drone operators to have a certain number of flying hours under their belt, there are many other requirements, he said.

‘Our use of drones will help customers recover from losses more quickly because it expedites inspections, payments and repairs.’ “They do get flying experience. We don’t start training them on the big drones first. We have a drone simulator. Think about a

joystick and a computer screen. All of the students first start with the drone simula-tor,” explained Wucherpfennig. “Then we move them to microdrones, very small, inex-pensive drones that are actually a little bit harder to fly than the big drones. Over the course of the week, they graduate up to the larger drones, which are still small. They’re under four pounds in total weight. They fly those both inside and outside. Then there’s various written tests. Like I said, all aimed at giving them the knowledge that they need to pass the FAA exam.” Once adjusters finish the program, they must pass an FAA exam and have a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) background check completed. “After they take and pass the FAA exam, there’s a…TSA background and…other paperwork things to do. Then they’re ready to fly. We put 60 Travelers employees so far through that process. Every one of them, 100 percent of them have passed the FAA exam and are out and about flying drones today,” said Wucherpfennig. Most of the adjusters are part of the Catastrophe response team. “We’ve also trained a few risk control employees, three from fraud investigative ser-vices, SIU investigators, one oil and gas claim professional for oil and gas type claims. Most of them are outside property claim profes-sionals. That was really wave one,” explained Wucherpfennig. He expects that most of the property adjusters will become trained drone oper-


ators, though more will be based in the eastern and Midwestern states where the number of roof claims is higher. The insurer has an aggressive expansion plan, said Wucherpfennig, indicating the insurer will study workflow and possible enhancements to the program. Of the 60 drones in use nationally, 20 of them were deployed to Matthew affected states. According to the VP of Property Claims, contact was made with the insurance departments in the states where the insurer planned to use the drones for inspections. In addition, Travelers has a drone policy of not flying over a policyholder’s house or business unless it receives approval first. Both policyholders and adjusters have offered positive feedback. The insurer has found that the use of drones in these types

of claims has helped speed up the inspec-tions, appraisals and payment to insureds. “From a policyholder perspective, I think it’s been very positive,” he said. “They’re able to see that when we use the drone technol-ogy, we’re able to…inspect the losses more quickly, write the property appraisals more quickly, then give the customer and covered losses a check more quickly so that they can begin repairs and get back up on their feet.”

Increased Safety Adjusters are excited about the new skills and increased safety. “From an employee perspective, it’s fun, it’s niche. It’s a new technology that they’re able to use. It’s a new skill that we’ve been training these folks on. It’s quicker for them, too. Instead of lugging a ladder out of the back of their car, setting it up, and making sure they have all the safety protocols, flying the drones is quicker,” he explained.

Drones are safer because adjusters no longer must climb on to a roof to inspect damages. “Some roofs are very steep and very com-plicated and too steep for our employees,” Wucherpfennig said. “We don’t want our employees to climb on very steep roofs. What you end up having to do in those sit-uations is hire a company, hire an expert to come out and set up harnesses, set up rig-ging to get up on the roof. That often entails coming out on a different day. You have to impose on a customer twice. All of that is prevented by the use of drones,” he added. In addition, he said, drones offer the abili-ty to capture visual imagery using geospatial and satellite technology that can be used to calculate roof measurements. Allstate Insurance has also recently reported that it is using drones to adjust Hurricane Matthew claims in Georgia and South Carolina.


U.S. Floods, Other Major Climate Events Rack Up $46 Billion in Cost, 138 Lives in 2016

During 2016, the United States experi-enced 15 weather and climate disasters

with insured and uninsured losses exceed-ing $1 billion each across the United States. Overall, these events resulted in the deaths of 138 people and had “significant economic effects” on the areas impacted, according to a new report. The major U.S. climate events in 2016 included a drought, four floods, eight severe storms, a tropical cyclone, and a wildfire. According to the report from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), this was the second highest num-ber of billion-dollar events in the 37-year record (1980–2016), one less than the 16 that occurred in 2011.

Four of the events in 2016 with losses exceeding $1 billion were inland flooding events not associated with named tropical storms. This doubled the previous record for number of bil-lion-dollar inland flood events in one year, which occurred several years, most recently in 2015. The 1980–2016 annual average is 5.5 events; the annual average for the most recent five years (2012–2016) is 10.6 events, according to

NCEI, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Government and private insurance


Heritage also had a damage cap of $10,000 for water damage claims not caused by storms for homes at least 40 years old approved by OIR.

What’s Next Citizens’ Gilway said the solutions pri-vate market companies are applying will help to “to stop the bleeding” in the short term for a few companies. But, he said, the long term solution must include changes to Florida’s one-way attorney fee statute, consumer pro-tection changes needed to the AOB form itself, and restrictions on the referral fees paid that are fueling the crisis. “As I have stated many times, without these legislative changes OIR will be forced to dramatically increase rates and approve more draconian policy changes to protect the financial solvency of the private market,” Gilway said. Citizens said at its Dec. 7 Board of Governor’s meeting that it plans to make AOB reform its 2017 legislative priority. The Consumer Protection Coalition, formed earlier this year in response to the rising AOB abuse, said it will support Citizens in its efforts. “The Consumer Protection Coalition joins Citizens in supporting common-

continued from page 34

sense reforms to protect homeowners against unscrupulous vendors who use AOB to pad their profits,” the coalition said. The coalition said reforms should include eliminating one-way attorney fees, which create an incentive for bad guy ven-dors to sue insurance companies without facing any financial risk. It also supports requirements for writ-ten estimates for work, notifications for insurers and options to rescind an AOB. According to Politico, OIR has indicat-ed that addressing AOB is a top priority. Politico reported Oct. 26 that OIR’s director of Government Affairs Caitlin Murray said the office will issue an assignment of benefits package and plans to meet with stakeholders to fine-tune its proposal. Jay Neal, executive director of the Florida Association for Insurance Reform (FAIR), said without a fix, “rates will dou-ble in 5 years … it’s unsustainable.” He is optimistic that the legislature gets it now and will be more supportive if OIR puts forth a bill. “Everyone will fall in line behind [OIR],” he said. “We are confident that people are aware there is a serious problem. We are hopeful and expect a legislative solution.”

data sources used in the loss estimates include Insurance Services Office (ISO) Property Claim Services, the National Flood Insurance Program, the Presidential Disaster Declaration assistance, and the Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service & Risk Management Agency.

Four of the events in 2016 with losses exceeding $1 billion were inland flooding events not associated with named tropical storms.

The insured and uninsured direct loss components include: physical damage to residential, commercial and government/municipal buildings, material assets within a building, time element losses (i.e., busi-nesses interruption), vehicles, boats, offshore energy platforms, public infrastructure (i.e., roads, bridges, buildings) and agricultural assets (i.e., crops, livestock, timber). These loss assessments do not take into account losses to natural capital/assets, healthcare related losses, or values associated with loss of life.

Weather Summaries The average annual temperature in 2016 for the contiguous United States was 54.9°F, which was 2.9°F above the 20th century aver-age. This was the second warmest year of the 122 years on record, behind 2012 (55.3°F), and the 20th consecutive warmer-than-nor-mal year for the United States (1997–2016). The contiguous U.S. average annual pre-cipitation was 31.70 inches, which is 1.76 inches above the long-term average. This made 2016 the 24th wettest year on record for the nation, and the fourth consecutive year with above-average precipitation.

‘The breadth of the 2016 warmth is unparalleled in the nation’s climate history. No other year had as many states breaking or close to breaking their warmest annual average temperature.’

State Events On the statewide level, the report says 2016 was a year of temperature and precip-itation extremes. Every state in the union had an average annual temperature that was among the warmest seven of their historical records, and all but Iowa, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Utah had one of their warmest five years. Georgia was record warm. “The breadth of the 2016 warmth is unpar-alleled in the nation’s climate history. No other year had as many states breaking or close to breaking their warmest annual aver-age temperature,” the report says. Precipitation also saw regional extremes. As is typical with a strong El Niño episode, precipitation across much of the West was above normal for the year. California’s precipitation was 3.27 inch-es above the 20th century average while

Washington’s was 7.36 inches above average. Several Upper Midwest states were much wetter than normal for the year. Both Minnesota and Wisconsin had their second wettest year, with Minnesota’s 2016 total just 0.3 inch less than its wettest year on record, 1977. On the opposite end of the rain meter, last year was the fourth driest year for Connecticut, ninth driest for Georgia and tenth driest for Massachusetts. For most of the year, Alaska “baked” with record heat at the local and statewide level. With a statewide record that dates to 1925 (92 years), Alaska had its second warmest winter, warmest spring, second warmest summer and a warmer-than-average fall. The per-sistent heat led to Alaska’s third successive warmest year on record.


Record Texas Hailstorm Losses in 2016In 2016, Texas sustained another costly

year of auto and homeowner weather-re-lated losses. Analysis of loss information through the end of September reveals a year of record losses resulting from hailstorms. March and April recorded some of the most damaging hailstorms the state has ever seen. Hailstorms in those two months caused more than $4 billion in damage to thousands of homes in Dallas/Fort Worth and San Antonio. “Only Hurricane Ike in 2008, the costliest storm in Texas history, inflicted more dam-age to homes than this year’s hailstorms,” said Mark Hanna, a spokesperson for the Insurance Council of Texas. The costliest hailstorms struck Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Wylie and San Antonio. The April 12 hailstorm in San

Antonio and Bexar County resulted in $1.4 billion in damage, making it the costliest hailstorm in Texas history, exceeding the May 5, 1995, $1.1 billion hailstorm in Fort Worth. The storms also produced record losses for cars and trucks. Hail as well as flood damage to automobiles is expected to reach a record $2 billion in insured losses. A massive hailstorm struck El Paso on Nov. 4, damaging an estimated 40,000 automobiles. Flooding in Houston and Harris County also damaged thousands of vehicles. During multiple hailstorms in March and April, insurers set up mobile claims centers to help consumers process claims.

BoatUS Estimates Hurricane Matthew Damage to Recreational Boats at $110MHurricane Matthew, which threatened

four coastal states as it corkscrewed through the Atlantic in October 2016, caused an estimated $110 million in damage to rec-reational boats, according to Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS). The national safety organization suggests that in addition to the storm remaining off-shore, boaters and the marine industry had a hand in lessening the damage. In contrast, more than 65,000 recreation-al boats were damaged or lost as a result of Hurricane Sandy, according to BoatUS, resulting in damage around $650 million.

“The storm moved slowly, so everyone had plenty of early warning and time to prepare,” said BoatUS Vice President of Public Affairs Scott Croft. BoatUS reported that while there were some localized areas of dock destruction and boat losses, damage to recreational boats as a result of Hurricane Matthew was not widespread. “Damage turned out to be less than anticipated

because the storm’s wall stayed offshore, but I’d also like to think boaters played a part as well in reducing damage,” said Croft. When a boat is in the path of a NOAA-named storm and a hurricane watch or warning is posted, a BoatUS insured is eligible

for 50 percent of the cost of labor, up to $1,000, to have the boat professionally hauled out, prepared and tied down by profession-als.

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