Life Insurance Expert Witnesses

Life insurance expert witnesses and consultants listed here may be able to form expert opinions, draft expert witness reports, provide expert witness testimony at deposition and/or trial as or serve as consulting (non-testifying) experts on life insurance. The life insurance expert witness listings on this page are typically from fields/areas of expertise such as: Actuarial, Business Operations, Financial, Insurance, Medical Genetics, and Securities & Investments.

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David R. Mitchell, CPCU, CIC, MBA, MA.HR, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Insurance Standard of Care Expert

Ideal Insurance Agency

Surprise, Arizona
Insurance - insurance standard of care, insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, workers compensation, human resources, property and casualty insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, long term care insurance, cyber insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, business insurance
David Mitchell (“David”) has held an Arizona Property and Casualty License since 1980 and Life and Health license since 1988. He has held the Certified Insurance Counselor (hereinafter “CIC”) for over thirty years. David has attended over five hundred hours of classroom instruction with CIC primarily involving insurance policies. In addition, David completed his Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (“CPCU”) in 2022. The CPCU designation consists of eight parts and in the opinion of many as the highest professional property/casualty designation in the insurance industry. He has recently obtained his Associates in Claims (AIC) professional designation. David holds a bachelor's in business management, a master's degree in business administration (MBA) and a master's degree in human resources. David has been an owner and insurance producer for over 40 years and teaches insurance producers in continuing education. David has consulted on over 65 cases as an insurance consultant an...
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Neal Bordenave, JD, CPCU, RPLU, ARM, AIC

Broker/Agent Standard of Care + Claims Practices

RiskPro Insurance Services, Inc.

Arizona
Insurance, Insurance - Broker/Agent Standard of Care, Bad Faith, Insurance Industry Customs and Practices, Property & Casualty, Life, Annuities, Excess & Surplus, Managing General Agent, Health, Surety, Professional Liability, Underwriting, Claims Practices
More than 35 years experience in the insurance industry. President/CEO of RiskPro Insurance Services, Inc., Professor of Risk Management and Insurance at California State University Chico (Retired 2022) Established Expert Witness Practice in 2009. As of January 2025, more than 500 retentions and testifying in Deposition, Trial and Arbitration more than 100 times. Education includes Juris Doctor (JD), BS Business Administration/Finance. Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU) Associate in Risk Management (ARM) Associate in Claims (ARM) Licensed Insurance Broker/Agent since 1988 Licensed Oregon Claims Adjuster Primary States for expert work include, California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado and Texas
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Daniel G Fink, CIC, CRM, CPCU, CRIS, AAI

Insurance Expert Witness

Phoenix, Arizona
Insurance - Insurance Producer Standard of Care, Insurance Bad Faith, Agents E&O, Insurance Coverages and Claims, Insurance Claim handling standards, Workers Comp, Auto Insurance, UM & UIM Insurance, Home Insurance, Insurance Disputes, Life Insurance, Health Insurance, P&C, Umbrellas, etc
Daniel Fink, danielgfink@gmail.com, is an active insurance producer and instructor, as well as an Insurance expert witness, with over 40 years of insurance industry experience. He has earned the CIC, CRM, CPCU, CRIS, & AAI insurance certifications. As an insurance instructor, he teaches continuing education & certification classes for the CIC, CISR, and CRIS programs and speaks on many insurance topics to insurance and industry groups. Daniel is a national faculty member and education writer for The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research. Daniel is a good communicator (BA in Journalism and English) combined with an extensive background in insurance. He served as President of the IIABAZ (Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Arizona) as well as head of its education committee. Daniel teaches insurance associations (Big I and PIA) in many states. Daniel serves as a member of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America’s (IIABA) “Ask an Expert” Pane...
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Steve C. Burgess

Proven Life Insurance Claim Expert

The Center for Life Insurance Disputes

Folsom, California
Insurance - life insurance claims, life insurance bad faith, accidental death claim authority, accidental death claims, life insurance, critical illness insurance, critical illness insurance claims, underwriting, material misrepresentations, life insurance claim authority, life insurance investigation, death claims
Steve C. Burgess: I am uniquely qualified to opine on standards and practices within the life insurance industry especially as it applies to the approval and denial of claims, the process of investigation of claims and the standard practices of life insurance companies as they apply to death claims handling. Since 2006, as the president of The Center for Life Insurance Disputes, I've independently represented claimants in the recovery of numerous death claims. This work includes obtaining records from medical institutions, police reports, death certificates, medical examiners, trust documents, financial records, phone transcriptions and other relevant documents. I work with insurance company’s internal and external investigators, legal advisors and claims underwriters to resolve these matters. This work, in addition to acting as an expert witness in several death claim lawsuits, has given me access to multiple insurers claims manuals, claims processes and procedures. I have person...
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Colleen M Tangorra, CLU, ChFC

Colleen Tangorra

El Cajon, California
Insurance, Financial - Life Insurance, Compliance, Annuities, Variable contracts, Mutual Funds, FINRA supervision
Over 42 years' experience in the Life Insurance and Financial Services industry. Expertise in traditional and variable life insurance and annuity contracts as well as mutual fund sales practices, compliance and operations. Experienced initially as an insurance and securities licensed professional working directly with clients, later developing skills and knowledge in sales management, training and compliance supervision of over 300 industry sales professionals. Skilled platform speaker to 300 + audiences. As a Registered Principal with the Financial and Regulatory Authority (FINRA), along with my many years of involvement in product development, internal operations of large insurance/financial services companies and compliance regulation has led me to now pursue opportunities as an expert witness. Education includes Bachelor of Science degree from State University of New York, Cum Laude; designations Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant from The American Co...
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Steven E. Roth

Life and Disability Insurance Analyst

Agoura Hills, California
Insurance - life insurance, disability insurance, indexed annuities, annuity, annuities, premium financing, indexed universal life, illustration, bad faith, unfair, deceptive, sales practices, misrepresentation, fraud, negligence, standard of care, STOLI, IOLI, IUL, FIA
Served as a consultant and/or testifying expert witness to national law firms and top lawyers in numerous pro-consumer cases, ranging from deceptive investment and insurance sales practices to unfair insurance claims handling (predominantly life and disability insurance and annuity cases). To date, these cases resulting in estimated $200 million plus of settlements, awards and judgments. Testified in state courts, before FINRA and arbitrations. Never disqualified or had opinions stricken. 1991 - present: Life and disability insurance agent. 2014 - present: Life & Disability Analyst. ARTICLES AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS Articles (partial list) Featured in Forbes Magazine: “Sounding The Alarm On Indexed Universal Life Insurance”, a consumer warning piece concerning complex premium financing and Indexed Universal Life insurance – September 23, 2020 Featured in Forbes Magazine: “Kill The Messenger”, an critique of investment advisors and products – December, 2008 Featured in Forbes Mag...
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Sean Dilweg

A former Insurance Commissioner & Executive

Dilweg Consulting

The Sea Ranch, California
Insurance, Financial - Bad faith claims, State Regulation, Receivership, Health, Med-Malpractice Insurance, claims practices, Annuity, Life, Consumer Complaints, Property Casualty, Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Cannabis Regulation, Credit Rating methodologies
Expert Witness Profile – Insurance Regulation, Claims Practices, Financial Analysis, and Structured Finance Former Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner and senior insurance executive with 20+ years of experience across insurance regulation, insurer operations, financial analysis, and corporate governance. Recognized expert in insurance industry standards, claims handling practices, bad faith, regulatory compliance, and insurer financial condition. Provides expert witness services in state and federal courts, including depositions, jury trials, and litigation support. Areas of Expertise • Insurance Expert Witness • Insurance Bad Faith & Claims Handling • Insurance Regulatory Compliance (State & Federal) • Insurance Company Financial Analysis & Solvency • Property & Casualty Insurance Practices • Life Insurance & Annuities • Health Insurance & Managed Care • Mortgage Insurance & Financial Guaranty Insurance • Insurance Receivership & Run-Off • Reinsurance & Risk Transfer • St...
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Frank M Campbell, CLU, ChFC

Life Insurance, Annuities, Disability and LTC

Stratus Financial Partners

Riverside, California
Insurance, Financial - Life Insurance, Annuity, Annuities, Suitability, Lapse, Life Settlement, agent, Conversion, Estate Planning, Disability Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance, Bad Faith, Beneficiary, trusts, STOLI, TOLI, Standard of Care, Expiration, Misrepresentation, Life/Disability Analyst
Expert in Permanent and Term Life Insurance, Disability, Long-Term Care Insurance as well as variable and fixed annuities. 40+ years’ experience as a high-producing agent with a Fortune 500 insurer. Past Life & Qualifying Member of Million Dollar Round Table – a trade group of top insurance producers. Chartered Life Underwriter. Chartered Financial Consultant. Licensed Life and Disability Analyst. Has reviewed and analyzed hundreds of insurance policies for issues such as suitability, expiration, beneficiaries, conversion, termination, reinstatement, value, and health of the insurer.
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Neal Bordenave, JD, CPCU, RPLU, ARM, AIC

Broker/Agent Standard of Care + Claims Practices

RiskPro Insurance Services, Inc.

California
Insurance, Insurance - Broker/Agent Standard of Care, Bad Faith, Insurance Industry Customs and Practices, Property & Casualty, Life, Annuities, Excess & Surplus, Managing General Agent, Health, Surety, Professional Liability, Underwriting, Claims Practices
More than 35 years experience in the insurance industry. President/CEO of RiskPro Insurance Services, Inc., Professor of Risk Management and Insurance at California State University Chico (Retired 2022) Established Expert Witness Practice in 2009. As of January 2025, more than 500 retentions and testifying in Deposition, Trial and Arbitration more than 100 times. Education includes Juris Doctor (JD), BS Business Administration/Finance. Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU) Associate in Risk Management (ARM) Associate in Claims (ARM) Licensed Insurance Broker/Agent since 1988 Licensed Oregon Claims Adjuster Primary States for expert work include, California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado and Texas
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Laura A. Dambier

Life Insurance Expert - Policies, Agents, Claims

Insurance Capital Consulting LLC

Avon, Connecticut
Insurance, Business Operations - Life insurance, annuities, agent licensing, appointment, commissions, terminations, contracting, regulatory requirements, operations, customer service, call centers, home office administration processes, technology, compliance, file review, death claims, unclaimed property, policyholder services
Laura A. Dambier Accomplished retired senior executive with more than 20 years of experience leading life insurance operations across the life cycle of a policy from life insurance and annuity agent/broker/distribution sales authorization to the sales process, compensation, customer service and claims. Areas of expertise include but are not limited to life insurance and annuity agent licensing, appointments, terminations, commissions, contracting, technology, customer service, call center and claims. Please see Insurance Capital Consulting LLC below for further detail. Insurance Capital Consulting LLC Led by Laura A. Dambier, Insurance Capital Consulting, LLC offers expert consulting and expert witness services related to many aspects of the life insurance industry. Areas of expertise include home office operations; agent, broker and producer licensing, appointment, supervision and termination; policyholder service including premium billing, beneficiary designations and ownership c...
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Mace Barry Tamse, J.D.,CFP,AAMS,CMFC,CLTC

Financial Suitability

Sole Proprietor

Highland Beach, Florida
Securities & Investments, Insurance - Stock Trading, Annuities, Life Insurance, Option trading, Financial planning, Suitability, Bond Trading, Structured Products, Tax Harvesting, Mutual Funds, Long Term Care, Stop loss orders
I worked for E.F. Hutton for 2.5 years as an investment advisor Prudential Bache for 9.5 years as an investment advisor Dean Witter/Morgan Staney for 21 years as an investment advisor, ASSISTANT Manager, and office Mutual Fund , Money Manager, Insurance coordinator Ameriprise Financial for 11 years In the Circle of Excellence. I have Taught at High School and College Financial Subjects Part of my services for my clients have not only been investing for them but also advising them on Estate Planning, Tax Planning and Insurance needs More Degrees Include: Doctorate of Law, Bachelor of Law , Masters in Finance, Behavioral Finance ,Bachelor of Arts. Past licenses include: Series 7, Series 10, Series 3, Series 63, Series 65, Mortgage Broker license, Real Estate license
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Sajel Lala Kana, MD

Genetics and DNA Expert

Miami, Florida
Medical Genetics, Insurance - Wrongful birth, Birth defects, Prenatal genetic testing, Genetic testing, Down syndrome, Congenital anomalies, Metabolic disorders, Pharmacogenomics, Newborn screening, Teratology, Cancer, Life insurance, Mitochondrial disease, Life insurance, Genetic counseling, Developmental delays, Infant death, SIDS, Prior authorization, Insurance
Dr. Sajel Lala Kana is a distinguished clinical geneticist with extensive expertise in genetics and pediatrics. She is residency-trained in Pediatrics and is fellowship-trained in genetics. She is board-certified in Genetics by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG). With over 15 years of experience in academia and clinical practice, Dr. Kana has successfully led numerous research projects, contributed to high-impact publications, and presented her work at prestigious conferences. She is a Fellow of both the American College of Medical Genetics and the American Academy of Pediatrics. She also has a passion for biotechnology and has consulted with numerous start-ups and industry giants. She has contributed her expert witness services to multiple successful outcomes collectively worth $500 million+ USD in damages collected. Key Achievements: - Chief architect for a first-of-its-kind automated managed care product for genetics, acquired by Centene Corporation for...
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Michael Grabhorn, JD, CLU, ChFC

Life/Disability/Accident/ERISA Insurance Expert

Louisville, Kentucky
Insurance - Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, Accident Insurance, Insurance Claims Practices, Insurance Underwriting, Insurance Claims, Insurance Rescissions, Insurance Cancellation, Agent/Broker Standards of Care
Mr. Grabhorn is a distinguished insurance expert, consultant, and attorney with a national practice, specializing in accident, disability and life insurance and ERISA claims. Recognized by his peers as an authority in these fields, he has extensive expertise in navigating the complexities of insurance laws and regulations. Committed to advocating for clients, Mr. Grabhorn ensures their rights and benefits are protected, with a proven track record of successfully resolving claims and litigating disputes. Mr. Grabhorn brings over 35 years of unique experience and training from his time in the insurance industry before starting his consulting and law firm. He gained comprehensive exposure to all facets of accident, disability and life insurance, including sales, underwriting, claims, and policy design. During this period, he earned the prestigious Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) certifications, reflecting his extensive knowledge and training ...
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Alan J Besnoff, CFP®, ChFC, CLU

Securities, Life Insurance, CFP® Professional

Securities Expert Witness & Litigation Support, LLC

Fremont, New Hampshire
Securities & Investments, Insurance - Mutual Funds, Annuities, Financial Planning, Life Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance, FINRA, Misrepresentation, Asset Allocation, Retirement Plans, Unauthorized Trading, Suitability, churning, Supervision, Employment, U-5, Variable Annuities, Alternative Investments, CFP® Professional, Fiduciary Duty, IRAs
Alan J. Besnoff, CFP®, ChFC, CLU is the founder of Securities Expert Witness & Litigation Support, LLC, and provides litigation consulting services and expert testimony in FINRA arbitrations, other arbitration forums, and state and federal court for matters involving customer disputes and employment issues within the financial services industry. Mr. Besnoff’s expert engagements typically involve sales practices and alleged violations of rules and industry standards in the areas of securities, life insurance and annuities, CFP Board Code and Standards, supervisory, and U-5/employment matters. Mr. Besnoff has been engaged as an expert in more than 135 cases and has testified approximately 35 times. Alan Besnoff has 30+ years of experience within the industry, primarily in supervisory and leadership positions. Mr. Besnoff has passed FINRA registration examinations for Series 6, 63, 65, 7, 26, and 24, as well as state licensing examinations for Life Insurance & Annuities, Disabi...
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Michael Reardon

Former Life and Annuity President and CFO

Charlotte, North Carolina
Insurance, Actuarial - Annuities, IUL, Life Insurance, Variable Annuities, Indexed Annuities
Fellow of the Society of Actuaries with 40 years of experience in life insurance and annuities. Former CFO (2010–2013) and President & CFO (2013–2017) of Forethought Life Insurance Company, and President of Commonwealth Life and Annuity Company (2003–2009), overseeing companies with $5B+ in assets. Expert in life insurance and annuity product design, executive governance, and regulatory compliance, having designed or supervised 25+ products, including Indexed Universal Life, Variable Life, Fixed Annuities, Indexed Annuities, and Variable Annuities. Extensive experience with all 50 state regulatory filings, federal litigation, and board-level oversight. Testified as a company witness in federal litigation (U.S. District Court, Chicago 2004). Current privately owned annuity company board director, Audit Committee member, and Investment Committee chair.
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Neal Bordenave, JD, CPCU, RPLU, ARM, AIC

Broker/Agent Standard of Care + Claims Practices

RiskPro Insurance Services, Inc.

Bend, Oregon
Insurance, Insurance - Broker/Agent Standard of Care, Bad Faith, Insurance Industry Customs and Practices, Property & Casualty, Life, Annuities, Excess & Surplus, Managing General Agent, Health, Surety, Professional Liability, Underwriting, Claims Practices
More than 35 years experience in the insurance industry. President/CEO of RiskPro Insurance Services, Inc., Professor of Risk Management and Insurance at California State University Chico (Retired 2022) Established Expert Witness Practice in 2009. As of January 2025, more than 500 retentions and testifying in Deposition, Trial and Arbitration more than 100 times. Education includes Juris Doctor (JD), BS Business Administration/Finance. Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU) Associate in Risk Management (ARM) Associate in Claims (ARM) Licensed Insurance Broker/Agent since 1988 Licensed Oregon Claims Adjuster Primary States for expert work include, California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado and Texas
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Sajel Lala Kana, MD

Genetics and DNA Expert

Texas
Medical Genetics, Insurance - Wrongful birth, Birth defects, Prenatal genetic testing, Genetic testing, Down syndrome, Congenital anomalies, Metabolic disorders, Pharmacogenomics, Newborn screening, Teratology, Cancer, Life insurance, Mitochondrial disease, Life insurance, Genetic counseling, Developmental delays, Infant death, SIDS, Prior authorization, Insurance
Dr. Sajel Lala Kana is a distinguished clinical geneticist with extensive expertise in genetics and pediatrics. She is residency-trained in Pediatrics and is fellowship-trained in genetics. She is board-certified in Genetics by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG). With over 15 years of experience in academia and clinical practice, Dr. Kana has successfully led numerous research projects, contributed to high-impact publications, and presented her work at prestigious conferences. She is a Fellow of both the American College of Medical Genetics and the American Academy of Pediatrics. She also has a passion for biotechnology and has consulted with numerous start-ups and industry giants. She has contributed her expert witness services to multiple successful outcomes collectively worth $500 million+ USD in damages collected. Key Achievements: - Chief architect for a first-of-its-kind automated managed care product for genetics, acquired by Centene Corporation for...