Wouldn't it be nice if you never had to buy insurance untilafter you had a claim? Think of the money you could savenot having to purchase auto insurance until your teenager crashedthe car. What about the cash you could bank if you didn't have topay those astronomical Florida homeowner's premiums until ahurricane rendered your home uninhabitable? But let's face it,that's neither the intent nor purpose of insurance, which providescoverage for certain risks for which a policyholder pays a premiumfor risk minimization or mitigation. But what happens when emotionsget in the way of the law?

Having overseen a number of litigated cases during my tenure inclaims, it was certainly not uncommon for juries to invoke emotionin the courtroom. While they should not do this, we cannot losesight of the fact that humans are emotional beings and at times,even the most callous of people will be brought to their knees whentheir heartstrings are tugged.

As many fellow professionals can attest, careful considerationis often given to the credibility of both the insured and theclaimant. If either had serious credibility issues, sordid pasts,or other such negatives, then the strategy was often different thanif the parties were pillars of the community.