INTERNATIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE
APRIL 7-12 2024
LAS VEGAS
Insurance Claims for Fire & Explosion Investigators
Thursday, April 11, 2024 (8:00am - 12:00pm) (Celebrity 6-8)
Part 1- How Investigators Can Speak Insurance…..(2 hours)
Part 2- A Peak Behind the Insurance Curtain (2 hours)
Whether it is subrogation, arson, or liability defense, most fire investigators will have extensive interaction with representatives in the insurance industry. However; the way the insurance industry works is often a mystery to those investigators. Knowing the roles of all members of the investigative team, including insurance professionals, leads to more successful investigations. This class will provide guidance from leaders in the industry and a look behind the curtain into the inner world of insurance claims. The presenters will provide training on a number of insurance topics, starting with understanding the important provisions of an insurance policy, through the adjustment process to a decision on moving forward with a subrogation claim, denial of coverage or liability defense. What do insurance professionals need to know immediately? Why do they sometimes close a claim before the investigation is complete? Why was the mitigation contractor allowed into the loss site? These are just a few questions which likely go through minds of investigators when working insurance fire claims. This presentation will not ask “What should we expect from the investigator?” but instead asks and answers “What should we expect from our insurance representative?”. Whether you are new to private sector investigations, or a seasoned professional, there will be something new to learn about the insurance industry in this class.
Brad Gordon
Brad Gordon is the managing partner of the firm’s Chicago office. He focuses his practice on litigation, representing the interests of corporations and insurance companies throughout the United States. Mr. Gordon has extensive experience in all phases of complex litigation, as well as aggregation of mass tort claims. In addition to handling subrogation matters involving product failures and construction defects, Mr. Gordon has also prosecuted high-profile claims involving Ford Ignition Switches, Ford Speed Control Deactivation Switches, Torchiere Halogen Lamps, Gree Dehumidifiers, and Electrolux Dryers.
Mr. Gordon takes great pride in his long-standing relationships with clients as he leads them through all phases of litigation. He is also well-versed in resolving matters through alternative dispute resolution in forums such as the American Arbitration Association and Inter-Company Arbitration.
Mr. Gordon is licensed to practice law in Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota. He is also admitted to the United States District Court for the Northern, Central and Southern Districts of Illinois, the Western and Eastern Districts of Wisconsin, the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, the Western and Eastern Districts of Arkansas, the Northern District of Texas, the District of Colorado, the Eastern District of Michigan and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1993 and his Juris Doctor from DePaul College of Law in 1997.
Mr. Gordon frequently presents and lectures at the National Association of Subrogation Professional’s annual conference, along with other regional insurance seminars. Recent presentations include Fundamentals of a Relationship between Origin and Cause Investigator and Attorney; Spoliation of Evidence; and Aggregation of Claims. Recently, he was a participant in an expert panel at the Annual Meeting of the Illinois Association of Arson Investigators and was named to the IAAI Insurance Training and Membership Advisory Committee, where he served as chairperson from 2018-2019. In 2015, he achieved an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell rating, the highest possible rating for an attorney for both ethical standards and legal ability. In his spare time, Mr. Gordon has volunteered his time with the YMCA and cancer awareness programs, along with being involved with the Court Appointed Special Advocates program of Lake County, Illinois.
Dan Jaeger
Dan Jaeger began his career with State Farm Indemnity Company as a Catastrophic PIP Claim Representative. Within 18-months Dan transferred into State Farm's SIU where he investigated suspicious BI, UM/UIM, PIP and PD losses. During his tenure with State Farm, Dan was also assigned to State Farm's Organized Activity Unit where he investigated suspicious claimants, attorneys and healthcare practitioners in New Jersey. In 1998 Dan was hired by American International Group to investigate suspicious auto and homeowners losses in Philadelphia, Maryland and Delaware. Dan was hired by Chubb in November of 2001 to investigate suspicious property losses for Chubb’s MidAtlantic Zone, which encompasses PA, DE, MD, VA, DC and WV. Dan has directed complex investigations for Chubb involving, Arson, Homeowner’s, Art Theft, Auto Theft, Commercial Property and Valuable Articles. In January of 2011, Dan was promoted to Worldwide First Party SIU Manager responsible for managing Chubb’s First Party SIU program worldwide. In January of 2016, Dan became responsible for the North Aemrican Property SIU program of the “New” Chubb, which combined the legacy operations of ACE and Chubb. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware where he earned a Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice, in June 1994. Dan is a member of the CPCU Society, the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU) and the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI). He is a past President of the Brandywine Valley Chapter-CPCU and from 2009-2012 served as a CPCU Society Regional Governor supporting 6 CPCU Chapters in Eastern Pennsylvania. Dan is currently on the executive board of the New York Anti-Car Theft and Fraud Assoaication (NYACT) and on the Insranace Advisiory Committee for IAAI. He has presented on the topics of SIU and the Bottom Line, Property Fraud Awareness & Recognition, Body Shop Fraud and Application Fraud
Jason Marirosian
Mr. Mardirosian is a 28 year veteran and lieutenant with the Chicago fire department, and spent 17 years in their fire & arson investigation unit. Jason has over 20 years experience in the private sector doing numerous consultations and is currently an investigator for FEC LLC.
Mr. Mardirosian has an extensive background in investigations and is an international contractor specializing in instruction of arson, fire, and explosion scene investigations. He combines both dynamic classroom presentations and hands on exercises to help the students understand the complexities of such investigations.
Jason has taught independently, as well as, in a team setting for various agencies and groups including several IAAI chapters, the 40 hour fundamental class hosted by the IAAI, several ATF task forces, and is a contract instructor for the justice department (ICITAP) and he has taught internationally in Algiers, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands and Dubai.
Mr. Mardirosian recently retired after 16 years with the summit police department, is a Past-President of the Illinois Chapter of he IAAI, and was the 2006 investigator of the year recipient from the IAAI.
John Foster
John has held pretty much every position at State Farm in his over 40 years there, including drafting policies, adjusting claims, evaluating coverage, multiple levels of management and on the executive board. He has spoken at the LEA, CLM, NASP, IASIU, and many other organizations.