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Lessons Learned From an Expert WitnessLessons Learned From an Expert Witness

Lawsuits illustrate the problems with some insurance policies

Richard L. Harris

March 23, 2016

6 Min Read
Lessons Learned From an Expert Witness

I’ve served as either a consulting or testifying expert witness in more than 20 cases involving life insurance. They weren’t about death claims but rather disputes alleging civil fraud related to life insurance policies. Most were about individuals suing to rescind insurance policies, believing that they were misled into signing up for those policies. They claimed that they wouldn’t have entered into the transactions had they been given all of the facts. While I’ve worked for plaintiffs the majority of the time, I’ve also worked for defendants. All of the cases produced favorable results for my clients. Here’s what I’ve learned from those cases.

 

Cost/Benefit Analysis 

In all cases, attorneys for both sides work on an hourly basis. That me...

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About the Author

Richard L. Harris

Greenberg & Rapp Financial Group

Richard L. Harris is the managing member of Richard L. Harris LLC, a life insurance sales and consulting firm devoted to helping the very wealthy and their professional advisors deal with issues regarding life insurance. He works as a back office life insurance expert for many accountants, attorneys, and trust officers. With 40 years experience, Richard is a nationally recognized expert in the very advanced areas of life insurance. He brings together expertise and cutting edge ideas in designing and implementing solutions incorporating life insurance that integrate and address the issues at hand. Apart from acting as a life insurance strategist and purchasing agent for life insurance for the very wealthy, he is often consulted about fixing or improving advanced strategies using life insurance that have become problematic because of legislation, poor performance, or change in circumstances. Richard consults on proposed advanced strategies using life insurance providing second opinions on the viability of the transactions. He also provides litigation support both forensically and strategically and serves as an expert witness regarding sophisticated life insurance transactions. Richard is a graduate of Long Island University where he majored in Accounting and Literature. He holds the professional designations of Chartered Life Underwriter, Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner, and Accredited Estate Planner. He is Chair of the Insurance Committee of Trusts & Estates Magazine, on the Editorial Advisory Board of Wealth Strategies Journal, a Contributing Editor to Private Wealth Magazine and is listed in Who's Who in Finance and Industry. He also serves on the Board of the Northern New Jersey Society of Financial Services Professionals and the Advisory Board of HighCap Financial.