User Profile - United Policyholders

Daniel Veroff

Dan Veroff is a key asset to Merlin Law Group’s successful insurance policyholder rights practice. With a varied insurance background in academia, consumer advocacy, legislation, and litigation, Dan has significant experience helping policyholders obtain justice against their insurance companies. For example, in the unanimous 2017 California Supreme Court decision in Association of California Insurance Companies v. Dave Jones as California Insurance Commissioner, which upheld the Commissioner’s broad power to protect consumers in the home insurance buying process, the Court cited an amicus curiae brief co-authored by Dan on two occasions. In addition, since 2016, consumer representatives to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners have relied upon Dan to provide sound advice and draft consumer-friendly laws for disability insurance.

Dan sits on three committees of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA) and two of Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). He is also a past executive board member of the San Francisco chapter of the American Inns of Court. In addition, Dan serves as a consultant to National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) consumer representatives on health and disability insurance issues. He also regularly volunteers with the Bay Area Urban Debate League, which helps at-risk youth develop advocacy and public speaking skills.

Community Activities

Contents Inventory California Time Limits

We lost our property in the recent Eaton Fire. Our insurance company is pressuring us for a full contents list and they keep mentioning a 60 day time limit. What is the California time limit for submitting out contents list? Is there an California Insurance…

Daniel Veroff answered 4 months ago • General Question • California

261 views1 answers

Policy expiration

When I first bought my residential policy in 2022 I was given a complete copy. This policy had expiration dates. Every time I renew, I review the renewal in its entirety (about 33 pages). My insurance company is now saying that there were riders in…

Daniel Veroff answered 4 months ago • Claim Denial • California

196 views1 answers

Requiring phone call to request an extension for Contents claims

The “Claims Associate” said, “if we are going to discuss any extensions for Contents, we need to set-up a call.” We have requested email communications. I suffer from anxiety and get very agitated when dealing with the insurance company claim. I asked for an accommodation.…

Daniel Veroff answered 1 year ago • Contents inventory • California

462 views1 answers

Our non-attached studio is covered under “Other Structures,” but rebuilding at another location in California on a very small lot, where it is attached: covered?

Hello, We lost our home on two acres in the CZU fires in California, which included an unattached studio. The studio is clearly covered under “Other Structures.” In our rebuild, we are building in town on a very small 4,200 sq foot lot, so the…

Daniel Veroff answered 2 years ago • Rebuilding • California

661 views1 answers

Bad Faith Practices Against Additional Insured

In California, do insurance companies have to follow the Fair Claims Settlement Practices under sections 2695.1 – 2659.14 even for additional insured who are also the claimants? My wife and I hired a contractor to build us a new home and he destroyed it by…

Daniel Veroff answered 2 years ago • Coverage Question • California

859 views1 answers

Moving after buying Replacement House

My fire loss was in 2017 in California. The insurer held back the amount attributed to the land from the amount they allocated for me to buy a replacement house. They said the held-back amount could be used for repairs and renovations to the replacement…

Daniel Veroff answered 2 years ago • Coverage Question • California

628 views1 answers

Shouldn’t insurance pay us ALE for living in a second home that we own?

Our home was a total loss in a wildfire. For two months after the fire we lived in a hotel and Allstate paid the expenses from our ALE. The next 8 months we rented a house and Allstate paid the rent from our ALE. We…

Daniel Veroff answered 3 years ago • Additional Living Expenses (ALE) • California

3981 views1 answers

Insurance Company more than doubled my policy and refuses to pay any more.

I lost my nearly 5000 ft² house in the Paradise Campfire Due to an error by insurance company I was only insured for 1500 ft² It took me 3 years to get them to pay of my entire policy at only 1500 ft². My contents…

Don A. Lesser, Esq. answered 3 years ago • Coverage Question • California

911 views3 answers

ALE expenses ran out- Still living without kitchen

Hi there, First off, thanks so much for providing guidance on these topics! I had a slab leak in my condo about 3 months ago now. The company my insurance hired to coordinate the abatement process miscommunicated to their contractors, and they had to re-do…

Daniel Veroff answered 3 years ago • Additional Living Expenses (ALE) • California

2368 views1 answers

Question about Additional Replacement Cost funds

Hi there! My family and I lost our homes in the Mountain View Fire in Coleville, CA on November 17, 2021. After the fire, and the emotional rollercoaster ride that goes along with that experience, we ultimately decided to rebuild our home. We have our…

Daniel Veroff answered 3 years ago • Coverage Question • California

839 views1 answers

Insurance coverage for rebuilding my house

My house burned down in the Northern California Tubbs fire in October 2017. I am getting the full amount of the stated amounts on my insurance policy but it is not enough to pay for the rebuild. I heard that some insurance companies are paying…

Daniel Veroff answered 4 years ago • Underinsurance • California

921 views1 answers