About Gianelli & Morris

At Gianelli & Morris, we are a California law firm based in Los Angeles that concentrates our practice in the area of insurance law. We represent insurance policyholders statewide who are not receiving the benefit of their policy due to misconduct or mistreatment by the insurer. Our firm has been focusing on insurance law for more than 40 years, and over that time, we have helped countless individuals get the benefits they need and deserve at a critical time in their lives. Over four decades in practice, our attorneys have acquired the knowledge and experience and honed their skills so that we are ready to take on even the biggest insurers and the largest class action claims. We strive. We fight. We win.

Why we do what we do

People buy different kinds of insurance for different reasons – health insurance to cover costly medical bills, life insurance to pay off a mortgage and pay for a funeral and other final expenses, or long-term disability insurance to replace vital income when a health issue cuts a career short unexpectedly. No matter what kind of insurance we purchase, all policies basically work the same: We pay a monthly premium for coverage, and in the event a covered event does occur, we expect to receive benefits under the policy.

Unfortunately, insurance companies don’t always come through for the policyholder. They pay less than they owe. They deny claims and disclaim coverage. They delay and delay for an unreasonable time. They even cancel policies just to avoid paying claims. These actions aren’t right, and our firm is here to do something about it. We believe in fairness and justice and are not afraid of a fight. You are entitled to the benefits you paid for, especially when critical matters of life or health are involved. That's why we do what we do.

Our firm can help you with insurance disputes regarding a variety of matters

Insurance Bad Faith – Insurance companies are obligated to deal with you fairly, but instead they prioritize their own profits over providing you with the coverage you paid for. Insurance companies are entitled to investigate and only pay valid claims, but when they act with the intention to deny your claim, this is an improper motive that amounts to bad faith. Bad faith insurance practices can include denying your claim without giving (or having) a good reason, unreasonably delaying action on your claim, making innumerable requests for information and documentation they don't really need or canceling your policy just to avoid paying the claim.

Health Insurance Denials – When doctors recommend a procedure that may be costly, insurance companies deny coverage out of hand without reviewing the merits of the procedure in your particular case. They'll say the procedure is experimental or investigational, even if it's been around for years, reviewed in medical journals and approved by the FDA. The insurance companies want to say your procedure isn't medically necessary or another treatment will do just as well, but it isn't always their decision to make. We've taken the nation's biggest insurers to court over numerous procedures. Through individual lawsuits and class actions, we let the courts decide when the insurance company refuses to act appropriately. Some of our successes include:

• Microprocessor prostheses
• Excess skin removal following bariatric surgery
• Breast reconstruction surgery
• Artificial disc replacement
• Proton beam therapy to treat prostate cancer

Life Insurance Denials – Applicants for life insurance must disclose details about their health history and lifestyle. If the insurance company later finds out the application was false or incomplete, they have a window of time to cancel (rescind) the policy and return the premium payments made to-date. Learning of a problem on the application is one thing, but scouring the application years later for the sole purpose of denying a claim is bad faith. Another common tactic is claiming your policy lapsed at some point in the past due to nonpayment of premiums, although the first time you hear about it is when you make a claim. Insurers may also make interminable requests for information you don't have or cannot get.

In addition to claim denials, life insurance disputes may also center around the amount of premium required to keep a policy in force or the proper payment of dividends as promised. If you are having problems with your life insurance company, the attorneys at Gianelli & Morris can help you resolve them.

Long-Term Disability Insurance – LTD coverage can be a godsend if your career is cut short by disability, but when it comes time to apply for benefits, policyholders often find the insurance company is none too eager to pay. They'll challenge the medical evidence of disability not once but repeatedly, and they'll argue over what your coverage actually entitles you to. Disability insurance policies are complex documents. We've dealt with these policies and know how to read them, interpret them, and get them enforced.

Unfair Annuities – Deferred annuities are marketed and sold as valuable investment tools, but they may be loaded with hidden costs that devalue the policy and hidden charges that were never properly disclosed. Insurance agents oversell annuities on promises of high returns that never materialize. We help people who lost their hard-earned money to unfair annuities sold through fraudulent or shady business practices.

A California Law Firm that Takes on the Biggest Insurers

At Gianelli & Morris, we have successfully pursued cases against Anthem, Blue Shield, Kaiser, Aetna, CIGNA and many others. Our attorneys have represented single individuals and class actions in the thousands. We are familiar with individual and group policies, and the complex issues of employer-based policies governed by ERISA.

Attorney Robert Gianelli and his team of lawyers have decades of experience in California law and have helped shape the landscape of California insurance law in key areas. Our AV® rated team is knowledgeable, driven to succeed, and 100% dedicated to representing consumers in disputes with insurance companies. We know the tricks these companies play and have significant expertise in California insurance law. With our outstanding reputation and expertise in insurance law, we can provide the results-driven representation you need to help you today and in the future. Join the many other individuals who have successfully come to us for help with resolving or settling their claims.

Why Hire Gianelli & Morris?

California insurance law is complex, making it very difficult to handle a dispute with an insurance company on your own. Even if you think you are right and don't need an attorney, your insurance company will have attorneys of their own. With your right to claim a settlement at stake, you deserve to have a seasoned lawyer on your side, fighting for you.

When you have problems with your insurance company you can contact Gianelli & Morris to discuss your options free of charge. Our insurance attorneys in Los Angeles will guide you through each step of the process, making sure you understand your rights and know what to expect in litigation. With more than 40 years of experience, we are prepared to represent you in the most challenging cases.

Representing You against Big Name Companies

At Gianelli & Morris, we are dedicated to representing consumers who have been treated unfairly by insurance companies. Our legal team builds cases on an individual basis and may be able to help if an insurance company is unwilling to pay your claim or cooperate with you. When you work with us, we can evaluate your options and take appropriate legal action when it becomes necessary to file a lawsuit.

Our litigators have decades of experience investigating the evidence associated with insurance claims. Since 1979, our attorneys have successfully represented consumers against many of the largest insurance companies in the country. We are not afraid to take your case to court and deal with the lawyers representing your insurer.

Our track record includes cases against the following companies:

• CIGNA
• Blue Shield of California
• Blue Cross Life & Health Insurance Company
• Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
• Prudential Insurance Company

Because we have dedicated our practice to representing consumers in disputes with insurance companies, our lawyers have significant expertise that can be used to bolster your case. We know many of the arguments that must be made to seek favorable results and, should you work with us, will always keep you informed on the status of your case. Though litigation is not always easy, you can entrust your case to us with confidence that we will fight for the best results possible.

Protecting Your Rights

At our firm, we make your rights our priority. When your insurer is not honoring the promises made in your contract, Gianelli & Morris can help. We can help you understand your insurance contract, evaluate whether your insurance company is complying with the promises it made when you purchased your insurance, and educate you on your rights as a policyholder. We will be there to protect your rights.

We fight to shield clients from the following bad faith practices:

• Wrongful denial of claims
• Delayed payment for valid claims
• Paying less than the client deserves
• Cancelling a client’s claim

Insurance contracts are difficult to understand, even if you have extensive experience in insurance. Many policies contain exclusions that can be used against unwary consumers. Insurance companies are known to deny claims based on these exclusions, even when such terms do not justify the refusal to pay. Because of this, you need the legal team at Gianelli & Morris to handle your legal claim.

Your Case Matters—Contact Us for a Free Consultation

Ready to begin your case? Call an insurance attorney from our firm to get started! We will be there for you from the moment you decide you need to file a lawsuit all the way through settlement or trial. Not only do we practice exclusively in insurance law, we also work with the most qualified experts in the industry, giving you the advantage you need to successfully litigate a claim.

While most lawsuits settle, our successful record includes both trials and appeals. Many of our appeals have changed the law in California and increased consumer protections in insurance law. Our experience is an advantage, whether we settle your case or take it to trial.

At Gianelli & Morris, we strive to achieve the results you deserve. Contact our firm today to learn more!