Resources
UCLA Study Finds Toxic Compounds Still Linger in Standing Homes Long After Fires | Westside Current
As families remain displaced one year after the Palisades and Altadena wildfires, attorney Derek Chaiken discussed how toxic residue can persist in standing homes while insurers cut housing coverage before remediation is complete. (Access requires a subscription.)
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Rebuilding California insurance law after the Palisades and Eaton fires | Daily Journal
Attorney Dan Veroff analyzed how California’s insurance reforms restructured the FAIR Plan, spreading wildfire losses over time while shifting more costs statewide. (Access requires a subscription.)
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Before the ash settles California must learn from Katrina | Daily Journal
Founder and president Chip Merlin examined how California wildfire litigation is increasingly mirroring the post-Hurricane Katrina fight over causation, as courts grapple with whether smoke damage qualifies as “direct physical loss.” (Access requires a subscription.)
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Ohio school district files lawsuit against Liberty Mutual after roof collapse | PropertyCasulty360
Merlin Law Group filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Ashtabula Area City School District against Liberty Mutual after a roof collapsed at Lakeside High School following a snowstorm.
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Fire victims suing California FAIR plan, saying smoke damage isn’t being covered | ABC7
Homeowners insured by the California FAIR Plan Association challenged denials of smoke-damage claims months after the January 2025 wildfires, with many standing homes remaining contaminated. Attorney Derek Chaiken discussed smoke-damage coverage under fire insurance policies.
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Homeowner Policies At Center Of Ga. Insurance Changes | Law360 Insurance Authority
As Georgia homeowners face rising premiums and more restrictive claims handling, attorney Brian Braddy highlighted insurers’ growing reliance on exclusions and extended approval processes. (Access requires a subscription.)
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How Home Insurers Are Fueling Costs for Americans | NewsWeek
Founder and president Chip Merlin addressed how climate change is intensifying pressure on the U.S. property insurance market, driving higher losses, insurer pullbacks from high-risk states, and rising premiums for homeowners.
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FEMA cuts bring war for disaster mitigation resources | Digital Insurance
Federal cuts to FEMA have shifted disaster efforts from mitigation to response. Founder and president Chip Merlin said states lack the resources to fill the gap without federal support.
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Viewpoint: Delay, Deny, Defend for California Wildfire Claims? | Insurance Journal
Eight months after the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, delays and narrowed smoke-damage claims continued to fuel litigation and regulatory scrutiny. Attorneys Dan Veroff and Derek Chaiken cited fragmented claims systems as a primary cause.
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Katrina’s Insurance Lessons Ever Relevant 20 Years Later | Law360 Insurance Authority
The lasting insurance lessons of Hurricane Katrina remain increasingly relevant as climate-driven disasters intensify. Founder and president Chip Merlin, who represented policyholders after Katrina, underscored how widespread underinsurance continues to hinder recovery. (Access requires a subscription.)
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Southern California’s Visionary Consumer Attorneys | Business by Los Angeles Times Studio
Attorney Derek Chaiken of Merlin Law Group was recognized as a 2025 Consumer Attorney Visionary, highlighting his work as a leading plaintiff attorney in toxic tort litigation.
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Smoke Taint Evidence Complicates Recovery For Wineries | Law360 Insurance Authority
Widespread California wildfires complicated insurance recovery for wineries, as disputes over how to measure smoke taint affected coverage decisions. Attorney Victor Jacobellis explained how proposed federal legislation could help establish clearer standards for detecting smoke damage. (Access requires a subscription.)
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Fire Victims See Positive Step in Calif.’s FAIR Plan Action | Law360 Insurance Authority
California regulators escalated scrutiny of smoke-damage claims after the January 2025 Los Angeles fires by launching enforcement action against the FAIR Plan, citing longstanding concerns over claim denials and policy language. Attorney Derek Chaiken highlighted continued inconsistencies in smoke-claim handling. (Access requires a subscription.)
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California Moves Against State’s Insurer of Last Resort Over Smoke Policies | Newsweek
California regulators took enforcement action against the FAIR Plan over its handling of smoke-damage claims. Founder and president Chip Merlin highlighted similar issues at State Farm, pointing to delayed investigations, limited testing, and mounting affordability pressures for California homeowners.
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Viewpoint: State Farm’s Wildfire Claims Response Is a Test of Trust and Preparedness | Insurance Journal
Founder and president Chip Merlin examined State Farm’s handling of wildfire claims following the January 2025 Los Angeles fires, as the California Department of Insurance opened a market conduct examination into delays, inconsistent outcomes, and fragmented claims processes.
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Commentary: State Farm wildfire claims handling sparks regulatory scrutiny | InsuranceNewsNet
Founder and president Chip Merlin addressed California’s market conduct examination into State Farm’s wildfire claims and the broader changes affecting how the insurer handles policyholder losses.
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Tough decisions on the way as California grapples with insurance crisis | InsuranceNewsNet
California’s insurance market remained under strain following recent wildfires. Attorney Derek Chaiken discussed how proposed reforms and catastrophe modeling could further increase costs and leave homeowners underinsured.
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State Farm Rate Hike Portends Intensifying Insurance Crisis | Law360
Attorney Dan Veroff analyzed California’s emergency approval of a 17% State Farm rate increase, describing it as a warning sign of a deepening insurance crisis driven by wildfire losses, rising costs, and climate risk. (Access requires a subscription.)
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Underinsurance, negligence fuel California wildfire lawsuits | Digital Insurance
Attorney Dan Veroff discussed how underinsurance, claims handling breakdowns, and policy-writing practices have driven a surge in California wildfire litigation following the January 2025 Los Angeles fires.
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California launches investigation into State Farm insurance | KTVU Fox
Attorney Dan Veroff spoke on California’s investigation into State Farm following thousands of wildfire-related claims, highlighting shortcomings in the state’s approach to insurance regulation.
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Viewpoint: California’s Property Insurance Crisis and the Path to Reform | Insurance Journal
Attorney Dan Veroff addressed California’s deepening property insurance crisis, highlighting wildfire losses, insurer pullbacks, and growing reliance on the FAIR Plan, while emphasizing the need for comprehensive reform to stabilize the market and protect policyholders.
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Women on the frontlines: litigating insurance claims in the wake of California wildfires | Daily Journal
Attorney Rochelle Rajazi explained how the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires tested communities and highlighted the vital role women played in supporting survivors and advocating for recovery. (Access requires a subscription.)
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State Farm’s added California rate hike gets pushback | National Mortgage News
After State Farm sought an additional homeowners rate increase in California, attorneys Dan Veroff and Derek Chaiken weighed in on the implications for homeowners and coverage availability in wildfire-prone areas.
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Florida bill HB 1551 aims to restore policyholder legal rights | Tampa Bay Business Journal
Attorney Chip Merlin addressed Florida’s ongoing property insurance crisis, examining whether HB 1551 could restore balance for policyholders facing underpaid or denied claims. (Access requires a subscription.)
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Homeowners sue insurers, allege boycott to push substandard fire coverage | Daily Journal
Homeowners from Altadena and Pacific Palisades filed suit against dozens of insurers, raising questions about coverage decisions ahead of the January wildfires and the growing reliance on the FAIR Plan. Attorney Derek Chaiken discussed how proposed rate increases fall short of addressing broader challenges around coverage access.
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Affiliate oversight failures highlight need for structural reform in Florida: Legal expert | Insurance Business
Founder and president Chip Merlin outlined how lapses in oversight of insurer affiliate transactions have deepened Florida’s insurance crisis, calling for greater transparency to protect policyholders and restore trust.
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Proposed law and self-dealing rattle Florida’s insurance market | PropertyCasualty360
Florida’s insurance market faced renewed scrutiny amid concerns over insurer self-dealing, regulatory oversight gaps, and the potential impact of proposed legislation such as HB 1551, as discussed by founder and president Chip Merlin.
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California home insurance crisis: How wildfires are driving rate increases | Insurance.com
California’s home insurance market remained strained as wildfire losses and insurer pullbacks drove rate increases and heavier reliance on the FAIR Plan. Attorney Dan Veroff explained how further insurer withdrawals could place additional pressure on the FAIR Plan and the broader market.
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Ashtabula School District Press Release
The Ashtabula Area City School District has filed a lawsuit against Liberty Mutual Insurance Company after the insurer refused to pay for repairs to Lakeside High School, which suffered a roof collapse during a snowstorm in December 2024. Despite more than $232 million in coverage, nearly a year later 900 students and 100 staff remain displaced. Merlin Law Group represents the district in the case.
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What You Need to Know about Hail Damage
Learn how to protect your property, understand your coverage, and navigate the claims process with our free guide to hail damage and insurance.
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Filing A Property Insurance Claim
Filing a property insurance claim can be confusing if you have never had to do it before. We created this helpful asset outlining the process.
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Hurricanes: A Complete Policyholder’s Guide and Preparedness Checklist
Hurricanes: A Complete Policyholder's Guide and Preparedness Checklist details proactive steps you can take before, during, and after a hurricane to ensure your property is protected. Even if not currently facing a hurricane threat or dealing with a hurricane damage insurance claim, it is always good to be prepared.
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A Policyholders Guide to Tornado Insurance Claims
Tornadoes are terrifying events. They can strike out of the blue with barely any warning. With all the meteorological advancements that have been made in the last 50 years, National Weather Service tornado warning times are still, on average, a mere 10 to 15 minutes in advance.
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Tennessee Tornado Damage Claims
Incredibly powerful tornadoes recently swept through multiple counties in Tennessee. Hundreds of homes and buildings were destroyed, precious lives were lost, and communities forever changed.
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What To Expect With Insurance Adjusters
It is important to remember that the adjuster works for the insurance company. They are under time and pressure to adjust many claims. Because of this, they often make mistakes and overlook damages that would normally be found with a more thorough investigation.
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What Can Be Considered Additional Living Expenses Under a Homeowners Insurance Policy?
Additional living expenses create a number of questions about what items of expanse can be claimed following a loss. FC&S is a publication I encourage those in the claims business to subscribe.
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Insurance Company Response Time
When your home or business suffers damage due to a natural disaster, your life can change quickly. Insurance companies are there to help you through this peril, but the wait between the disaster and getting back to normal can be agonizing.
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What to Do When You Have a Denied/Underpaid Claim
Having your property insurance claim denied is not the end of the road. Unfortunately, it is the last thing you want to hear after a disaster leaves your home or business damaged, but it is merely another step in the process towards recovery.
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Actress Tracey Bregman Press Release
Renowned actress Tracey Bregman (as seen in The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful) is suing her insurance company, Lloyd’s of London, accusing them of underpaying insurance policy benefits after her Malibu, California home was completely destroyed by wildfire in November 2018. She was represented by attorney Derek Chaiken, Merlin Law Group.
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Wildfire Claims
As the Policyholder’s Advocate™, we created this guide with helpful instructions on what to do before, during and after a wildfire. Please use this resource when preparing for a wildfire and be sure to check your insurance policy to see what coverage you have.
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Up In Flames
In this Success Story, Merlin Law Group attorney Larry Bache defended policyholders against an insurer attempting to bar coverage after a fire destroyed their Missouri home. His tenacity and attention to detail highlights the importance of research and due diligence in fighting to obtain justice for policyholders.
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Colorado Fire Case
When Jim and Joy Gail Piburn’s Colorado property was engulfed in flames in October 2015, they expected their insurer to promptly respond to their claim. Instead, they were disappointed to see their claim delayed month after month with little to no response regarding any status updates.
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Fighting Against Insurer Tactics
Oftentimes an insurer will employ delay, deny, and defend tactics to circumvent paying out your insurance claim. For a homeowner, this is incredibly frustrating. After all, insurance is supposed to be there for you when it matters most, right?
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Bad Faith Practice Regarding Sinkhole Claim
Merlin Law Group attorney Larry E. Bache Jr., Esq., recently had a case involving a policyholder going against their insurer after the provider acted in bad faith regarding a sinkhole claim in Florida.
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Flood Claims Handbook
Flood insurance is a necessary component of complete hurricane protection. Our Flood Claims Handbook discusses this type of insurance and has helpful information.
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More Information on Hurricane Deductible and Policy Limits
Understanding what is and isn’t covered in your insurance policy is vital to securing adequate recovery after a hurricane loss. We have developed an eBook discussing both policy limits and hurricane deductibles.
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Condominium Hurricane Preparedness
Condominium and other multi-family properties are especially vulnerable to hurricane damage based on the proximity to the shoreline. We represent both individual homeowners and large condominium properties and associations. Our Condominium Hurricane Checklist outlines steps for Community Association Managers.
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Why Merlin?
Since 1985, Merlin Law Group has aided policyholders achieve recovery with their property insurance claims. We have created an eBook detailing what Merlin can bring to the table in terms of legal representation. Don’t let insurance companies lead you to a second disaster — allow Merlin Law Group to help!
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Hiring The Right Insurance Attorney
It is important you find an attorney that will be aggressive in obtaining justice for you. Merlin Law Group’s attorneys have the experience and skillset required to help policyholders receive their entitled coverage benefits. Check out our eBook on what to look for in a property insurance attorney to see if we would be a good fit for you.
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Filing A Property Insurance Claim
Filing a property insurance claim can be confusing if you have never had to do it before. We created this helpful asset outlining the process.
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