Ethics and the Adjuster

A Video Explaining how the Adjuster Must Act EthicallyShow more

Independent insurance adjusters serve insurance companies who do not have sufficient claims staff to handle insurance claims on behalf of those various insurers without staff in every jurisdiction where there is property the risk of loss of which was insured.

The professional insurance adjuster recognizes that the work of adjusting insurance claims is a profession of public trust. Independent insurance adjusters should maintain a standard of integrity that will promote the goal of building public confidence and trust in the insurance industry.

Independent insurance adjusters, and company employed insurance adjusters, should follow standard rules of ethical conduct in the business of insurance in order to act fairly and in good faith to the policy holders, claimants and insurers.

On rare occasions, an insured will act unethically in his, her or its relations with an insurer. When they do, if discovered by the insurer or its claims person, the right to indemnity may be lost. As you read about the decision from the United States Supreme Court below consider how the insured acted unethically to the insurer and why the Supreme Court decided to deprive the insured of his right to indemnity.

Although hoary with age this case still states the law of the United States with regard to unethical and fraudulent conduct by an insured and the insured’s obligation to appear for and testify honestly at an examination under oath.

© 2021 – Barry Zalma

Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE, now limits his practice to service as an insurance consultant specializing in insurance coverage, insurance claims handling, insurance bad faith and insurance fraud almost equally for insurers and policyholders. He also serves as an arbitrator or mediator for insurance related disputes. He practiced law in California for more than 44 years as an insurance coverage and claims handling lawyer and more than 52 years in the insurance business. He is available at http://www.zalma.com and zalma@zalma.com.

Mr. Zalma is the first recipient of the first annual Claims Magazine/ACE Legend Award.

Over the last 53 years Barry Zalma has dedicated his life to insurance, insurance claims and the need to defeat insurance fraud. He has created the following library of books and other materials to make it possible for insurers and their claims staff to become insurance claims professionals.

Go to the podcast Zalma On Insurance at https://anchor.fm/barry-zalma;  Follow Mr. Zalma on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bzalma; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://rumble.com/c/c-262921; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://zalma.com/blog/insurance-claims-library/ Read posts from Barry Zalma at https://parler.com/profile/Zalma/posts; and the last two issues of ZIFL at https://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/  podcast now available at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/zalma-on-insurance/id1509583809?uo=4