Burgess Insurance Services
Steve C. Burgess is a Life & Disability Insurance Analyst offering expert witness services. Areas of expertise include claims, underwriting, policy analysis, agent standards and industry practices.
Steve has been named in over 150 matters as an expert witness (as of 06/01/2019). He has testified in Federal and State Courts in Texas and California. He has testified in FINRA arbitration. He has given deposition testimony at least 50 times.
Steve has represented both plaintiffs and defendants – insurers, agents and policyholders. The complaints have involved life insurance contestability and suitability, misrepresentation, fraud, supervision, claims disputes, underwriting practices, industry standards and practices, agent standard of care, as well as other life insurance and disability insurance issues.
He has held the positions of Sales Manager, Associate Regional Director, and Regional Director for a major life insurance company. His brokerage firm processed over 1000s of life insurance applications each year and he was personally involved in the oversight and supervision of product disclosure and life insurance sales practices and underwriting.
To view specific LIFE INSURANCE UNDERWRITING qualifications please visit the Claims and Underwriting page.
Steve C. Burgess is an active insurance agent registered with the State of California Department of Insurance. He offers expert witness services in support of:
- Life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Annuity
- Variable contracts
- FINRA Securities
Steve has held the Series 7 – General Securities license, Series 63 – Uniform Securities Agent State Law (Blue Sky) and Series 24 – General Securities Principal licenses. As a Registered Principal, he was a supervisor of registered reps offering securities, variable life insurance and variable annuity product sales. Steve has a thorough understanding of FINRA suitability and State Insurance regulations. His extensive background has helped establish him as a distinguished and reputable securities expert, annuity expert and life insurance expert witness.
Mr. Burgess spent 13 years hiring and training insurance agents. This gives him unique credibility with the Courts to opine on Agent Standard of Care matters. He has been an active agent since 1991. This gives him unique credibility with the Courts to opine on Insurance Industry Standards and Practices. He has investigated and recovered over $60 million of death claims. This gives Mr. Burgess unique credibility to opine on Bad Faith and claim practices. Mr. Burgess has held FINRA series 7, 24 and 63 securities license’. This gives him unique credibility with the Courts to opine on Variable Contracts and FINRA Regulations.
Whether your client is dealing with a simple annuity dispute, complicated life insurance litigation or a sophisticated sale involving a pension, retirement plan, trust or other special design, having a life insurance expert witness and annuity expert on your legal team is invaluable. Life insurance and annuity contracts contain language and features that are difficult for someone outside of the industry to understand. Steve makes the confusing industry terminology easy to understand, so you the legal professional can build a stronger case for your client. In retaining Steve’s services, you will get an aggressive, knowledgeable and articulate life insurance expert witness or annuity expert.
Some of the many matters Mr. Burgess has opined for:
- Babbitt v Farmers, Scottsdale, Arizona
- Bailey v Buskey, Boston, Massachusetts
- Barrozo v Gall, San Diego, California
- Bernhoft v ReAssure, Ventura, California
- Buckley v Wakefield, Los Angeles, California
- Court v Prudential, Dallas, Texas
- Department of Insurance, San Diego, California
- Flaherty v Protective, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Hill v Matlock, Lubbock, Texas
- Henriques v Met Life, New York, New York
- Kaplan v AXA, Miami, Florida
- Knypstra v Koudsi, Los Angeles, FINRA arbitration
- Marignoli v Duban, Los Angeles, California
- Northwestern v Krause & Russell, Seattle, Washington
- PHL v Price Dawe, Delaware
- Reiter v Mutual Credit, Santa Ana, California
- Lee v Hartford, Los Angeles, California
- Steelman v Phoenix, Orange County, California
- Volk v Volk, Billings, Montana
- Wells Fargo v American General, Tarrant County, Texas
- Zeltser v Hancock, Long Beach, CA