Background

Shapiro & Associates' Insurance Coverage Opinion Practice provides coverage analysis, policy analysis, advance situational counseling, opinion letters, reservation of rights letters and declination letters setting forth the rights, duties and obligations of insurers and insureds under various insurance policies to insurers throught the country on a FLAT FEE basis.

Policies analyzed have included the more standard CGL, homeowners, umbrella and motor vehicle policies along with more specialized policies such as garage keepers, marine and agripolicies in addition to a wide range of specialty endorsements. Shapiro & Associates has authored coverage opinions under the state laws of virtually every jurisdiction in the country and writes approximately 20 - 25 opinions per month. Because of our substantial experience and significant resources Shapiro & Associates is able to provide its coverage opinion services on a FLAT FEE basis as described below.

Expertise

Shapiro & Associates' Insurance Coverage Opinion Practice attorneys have advanced degrees in such areas as environmental science and public health. Every Shapiro & Associates attorney has significant insurance liability experience as a defense litigator, plaintiff litigator and/or a coverage expert.

In addition to legal and law firm experience, our attorneys have significant experience working for such major insurers as Travelers and AIG. As such, Shapiro & Associates has a complete perspective in analyzing insurance coverage matters and is able to advise its clients in a total fashion.

While all opinions are researched and written by those in the Insurance Coverage Practice , opinions are frequently reviewed by our insurance litigators to provide that practical perspective that is oftentimes crucial to a complete and thorough understanding of the issues.

Resources

Shapiro & Associates' Insurance Coverage Opinion Practice has created and maintains its own database of over 1100 opinions (which continues to grow at the rate of 20 - 25 per month) that have been authored by the attorneys from the Insurance Coverage Opinion Practice . This database allows an immediate and reliable search for a particular issue, policy provision or fact pattern.

Because insurance law varies from state to state, this database has been designed to allow a search to be further narrowed to a particular jurisdiction. Coupled with expert on-line research capability and further supported by relevant library materials, this allows Shapiro & Associates Insurance Coverage Opinion Practice to ably fulfill its primary mission of delivering quality services in a cost effective fashion.

Because of our extensive in house resources, we are able to achieve this goal in a prompt manner with a full coverage opinion and draft of letter to the insured (if necessary) often transmitted to the client in less than one week. Special requests and emergency matters are provided on a two to three day basis.

Rates and Fees

Of significant interest to the client is that all insurance coverage opinions are provided on a FLAT FEE basis. In addition to providing confidence that services are rendered efficiently, this also allows the client to know the cost in advance and to properly budget for the provided services. Shapiro & Associates Insurance Coverage Opinion Practice is confident of the quality of the services it provides to the extent that should any opinion authored by Shapiro & Associates be challenged in a Declaratory Judgment action or otherwise, Shapiro & Associates' Insurance Coverage Opinion Practice will provide the authoring attorney at deposition or at trial with no expert witness fees or time charges, with the only cost to the client being reimbursement of travel and related expenses.

In addition to the opinion letter, Shapiro & Associates's Insurance Coverage Opinion Practice will also provide a draft of a declination or reservation of rights letter to be sent to the insured at no additional cost.