Can you imagine the joy on the face of the investigator for the Florida Department of Financial Services when he walked in with the big news that Chip Merlin has no Florida Bar license? It probably went something like this:
“Hey boss, you know that lawyer who criticizes us and the insurance companies hate because he exposes them too, Chip Merlin? Well, he doesn’t have a Florida Bar license! Yep, I looked it up and this guy is a fraud! ”
In the “truth is stranger than fiction” file, the director of the bureau of investigation for the division of insurance agents and agency services filed a bar complaint that yours truly does not have a Florida license to practice law. There was more than one reason why I wrote yesterday̵
7;s post: “Are Florida’s financial services investigators competent or are they simply refusing to investigate alleged corruption at insurance companies?”.My personal experience with most officers who work in insurance departments or as insurance regulators is that they are hard working and honest people who want to do a good job protecting the public. Many have surprising expertise and I learn from them. In many cases, the government does not have enough money allocated for them to keep up with the demands of their jobs. Apart from top management, many are career people and not in the circle of going back and forth from the insurance industry.
So, what’s up with Florida insurance adjusters? I have been a member of the Florida Bar in good standing since 1983. This was part of our response to the Florida Bar:
“…both in legal circles and in the public sector it is clear that he has not been out to confuse anyone or hide his true identity from anyone. Not only has he often included both ‘William F.’ and “Chip” in the same instance, he also usually includes both his business name and his image, so no concealment could be understood and no confusion claimed in good faith. [See attached Exhibits.] It is difficult to find another member of The Florida Bar who has been more openly public about his identity than Mr. Merlin. The fact that this circumstance has not been a problem for anyone in nearly four decades should speak volumes.
Currently, through all searches, we have been able to find only one living “Chip Merlin” in the United States, and that is William F. Merlin, Jr. William F. Merlin, Jr. was named after his father, a Coast Guard officer. His parents didn’t want to confuse people, so they took advice from his grandfather and adopted the moniker “Chip” after one of his favorite Sunday cartoons. Long before law school, and apart from the manner in which he executes formal documents, he has been known to the world as “Chip Merlin”.
What is more confusing about the reporting citizen’s dilemma is probably the dilemma itself. His direct supervisor, James ‘Jimmy’ Patronis, recently met Mr Merlin on the Friday before Hurricane Ian hit Florida. Jimmy Patronis consistently addressed Mr. Merlin as “Chip” throughout the meeting as they discussed Mr. Merlin’s law practice in Florida. Had the reporting citizen taken two seconds to ask his supervisor, just google “Chip Merlin” or make any effort whatsoever before reporting his confusion to The Florida Bar, all would have been cleared up. What is most confusing is that the reporting citizen identified himself as a professional investigator.
The complaint was apparently dismissed. I have no ill will in this matter. I have concerns.
Part of my presentation on Champlain Towers made at this week’s windstorm conference was the lesson that we will all make mistakes that usually provide a “last chance” to correct before tragedy strikes. My sincere hope is that insurance regulators and investigators can correct whatever mistakes have been made regarding the allegations I noted in yesterday’s post. My hope is that they are trained, motivated and provide sufficient resources so that the allegations can be honestly investigated and then critically scrutinized. If true, the allegations suggest Hurricane Ian policyholders are having insurance benefits stolen from them. Not taking steps to prevent such behavior would be a tragedy.
Today’s thought
A coach is someone who can provide correction without causing resentment.
—John Wooden
Source link
