Expert Witness Blog
Insurance expert witnesses may testify regarding insurance policies which Justia.com describes here:
Although insurance may cover many different risks, an insurance company may not indemnify an individual or business for committing an an intentional tort. Parties to insurance contracts are required to deal in good faith, according the legal doctrine uberrima fides (as opposed to caveat emptor, where the buyer assumes the risk). The duty of good faith requires that the insured reveal all material information relevant to risk assessment. The insurance company has several good-faith obligations, including a duty to promptly pay or deny a claim, to try to find reasons to cover a claim, and to treat the financial interests of the insured as if they were its own.
In most contract cases, the failure of a party to fulfill its contractual obligations may give rise to a breach of contract suit. The aggrieved party may sue for damages to recoup what it was owed under the contract. The law treats insurance contracts stricter. If an insurance company acts in “bad faith” (by acting with malice, fraud or oppression), in some states, the aggrieved insured may recover not only what it is entitled to under the policy, but also interest, attorney fees, court costs, and damages for emotional distress caused by the bad-faith act. Additionally, some states allow the injured policyholder to recover punitive damages if the insurance company acted egregiously.