GENERAL BAR, INC.
Insurance Program
The following is a summary of the key features and requirements of the GENERAL
BAR, Inc. Insurance Program. This summary is provided solely for the sake of
convenience and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the specific terms and
conditions of the Policy and the rules of the General Bar, Inc. as in effect from time to
time.
Please note that the General Bar, Inc. does not itself insure any forwarded claim, or
otherwise provide any surety for any listed firm. The Policy is provided by a commercial
insurer, and the General Bar, Inc.’s obligations under this program are to forward any
claim with supporting documents to the insurer. The General Bar, Inc. expressly
disclaims any other obligation or liability of any kind. Accordingly, to the extent the
insurer denies coverage of a claim, or coverage is otherwise unavailable, a forwarder will
not be entitled to payment from the General Bar, Inc.
Subject to the terms and conditions of coverage set forth in the Policy, this program indemnifies those who forward cases through the General Bar, Inc. law list against loss due to theft by listed lawyers and not against negligence or any other delinquent misconduct, error of judgment, or breach of contract whatsoever on the part of the attorneys. This Insurance Program is in the form of a $2,000,000.00 Insurance Policy, and the liability of the General Bar, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates is limited to claims with respect to which the insurer accepts liability.
Some specifics of this program are as follows:
- The insurance program includes coverage against acts of “Theft” as defined in the
Policy. The policy covers theft by listed attorneys. The policy does not cover
individual employees of listed firms. This is not malpractice insurance.
- It covers properly registered cases for 36 months from the date of employment,
except that in the event that the listing of an attorney/law firm is terminated for
any reason, the coverage period will not exceed 12 months from the date of
termination. Proper registration requires each forwarder to send notification to the
General Bar, Inc. within 35 days from the date each referral was made to the
General Bar, Inc. listed law firm (listee) identifying the listee and such additional
information as the General Bar, Inc. may require. In addition, the listee must be
notified on each referral that his/her name was selected from the General Bar, Inc.
Compliance with this rule is a condition precedent to coverage under the Policy.
- This program covers listees and claims in all 50 states and Canada, but does not
provide coverage on foreign attorneys including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the
Virgin Islands.
- Neither the General Bar, Inc. nor the insurer shall be liable for any loss through
any attorney whose names were not listed in that publication and/or website at the
time of employment. It is incumbent upon the forwarder to consult the General
Bar, Inc.’s current directory, its supplements, and the General Bar, Inc. website
(www.generalbar.com) for current information.
- Subject to the terms of the Policy, the loss shall be calculated as the net sum the
forwarder would have received had the remittance been made in due course by the
attorney or firm of attorneys after deduction of costs, expenses, fees, and
commissions due to the attorney(s). Recovery under the Policy will be 90% of the
net loss after a deductible of $250.00 per claim per case forwarded.
- Suit fees and advanced court costs are covered if it is proven that suit has not
been filed. Such coverage is subject to the $250.00 deductible and 90% coverage as
set forth in the Policy. Suit fees and advanced court costs are not covered if it
is proven that the suit has been filed.
- General Bar, Inc. and the insurer assume no liability for dispute in fee deductions
in connection with suit and/or legal fees.
- The forwarder, on becoming aware of any act or acts which may be the basis of a
claim under the insurance program, shall notify the law list immediately. The
forwarder must thereafter furnish supporting documentation and a total loss figure
to the General Bar, Inc. within 90 days.
- The Policy does not cover expenses incurred in establishing existence and amount
of loss due to “Theft”.
- If there is a discrepancy on a remittance by a listed attorney, it is incumbent upon
the forwarder to submit to the General Bar, Inc. for adjustment the attorney's
check and any other pertinent information of the case. Under no circumstances,
should the original check be returned to the attorney for adjustment. Violation of
this rule will nullify coverage under this Insurance Program.
- No forwarder shall seek insurance coverage with more than one law list on a
single item placed with a receiver, nor shall the forwarder indicate insurance
coverage with more than one list to the receiver on a single case. Violation of this
rule will nullify coverage under this Insurance Program.
The General Bar, Inc. hopes and expects to continue to offer the protections of its
Insurance Program to its forwarders. However, because of changes in coverage instituted
from time to time by the Insurance Program underwriters, the General Bar, Inc. reserves
the right to change, modify or terminate the Insurance Program at any time, with or
without notice