Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE Insurance Coverage, Claims Handling, and Insurance Fraud Consultant & Expert Witness .

Barry Zalma serves as a consultant and expert witness exclusively in insurance matters, assisting attorneys representing insurers or policyholders, claims management teams, and other insurance professionals. With more than 53 years of experience in claims handling and insurance coverage law, Mr. Zalma helps clients resolve complex insurance disputes efficiently and effectively—whether before a jury, judge, mediator, or arbitrator.

Professional Background

Mr. Zalma founded Barry Zalma, Inc. in 1979 to address a wide range of insurance claim and coverage challenges. He has represented insurers, advised on claims handling practices, interpreted policy language, and provided expert testimony on insurance coverage, bad faith, claims handling, and insurance fraud issues on behalf of both insurers and policyholders.

Since 2015, Mr. Zalma has retired from active law practice (his California Bar license is now inactive) and limits his work to consultation and expert witness services. He is internationally recognized as an authority in insurance, claims handling, coverage analysis, insurance fraud detection, and bad faith litigation.

Services Offered

• Consultation & Expert Witness Services — Mr. Zalma promptly reviews case materials, assesses the viability of claims or defenses, and helps narrow discovery scope. His involvement often reduces investigative and legal costs significantly, saving clients time and expense while promoting fair, intelligent, and economical resolutions.
• Arbitration & Mediation — Available to serve as an arbitrator or mediator in insurance disputes. Services are provided directly (not through a third-party panel), resulting in lower costs. Flat fees or hourly rates available upon request.
• Rates — $600 per hour, all-inclusive (covering telephone, postage, computer time, word processing, and other incidentals). Third-party costs are passed through at actual discounted rates paid by Mr. Zalma. Only Mr. Zalma works on retained matters.

Education & Definition of Insurance

Mr. Zalma adheres to the California statutory definition of insurance: “Insurance is a contract whereby one undertakes to indemnify another against loss, damage, or liability arising from a contingent or unknown event.” (California Insurance Code § 22)

Educational & Training Programs

Mr. Zalma develops and delivers professional training through multiple platforms:

• Excellence in Claims Handling Courses (via ClaimSchool.com) A series of practical, self-paced modules designed for claims professionals, risk managers, corporate counsel, adjusters, SIU investigators, public adjusters, and coverage attorneys. Topics include insurance fundamentals, thorough claims investigation, proof of loss preparation, and excellence in first-party property claims handling. Courses are structured in short, digestible lessons. Licensing available for MP4 video format.

For consultation, expert witness engagement, mediation/arbitration, or course inquiries, please contact: Barry Zalma, Inc. 4441 Sepulveda Boulevard Culver City, CA 90230 Phone: 310-390-4455 Email: zalma@zalma.com Website: https://zalma.com

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Arbitrator or Mediator

Mr. Zalma understands that litigation is expensive and does not always resolve a dispute. He is also available, therefore, to serve as an arbitrator or mediator for any insurance dispute. Because Mr. Zalma limits his services to insurance disputes and does not operate through a mediation or arbitration service the cost of his services are much less than the cost of an arbitrator or mediator from such a service. On request he will quote a flat fee or perform on his hourly rate.

What is Insurance?

Most people cannot define, let alone understand, insurance. Mr. Zalma, a native Californian, accepts the California definition of “insurance” which was codified as follows: “Insurance is a contract whereby one undertakes to indemnify another against loss, damage, or liability arising from a contingent or unknown event.” [California Insurance Code Section 22]

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Illumeo Courses

Certified Expert in Corporate Property Insurance

A comprehensive program enabling insurance professionals to become Certified Experts in Corporate Property Insurance

A complete course of study providing education and training to allow insurance professionals, after completing the individual classes, to become a Certified Expert in Corporate Property Insurance. The program covers everything an employee, an officer, or a director of a corporation needs to know about the need to get the proper insurance and to resolve any claim presented by the corporation to the insurer.

Major topics of study include, but are not limited to: the importance of insurance; how to acquire insurance and understand an insurance policy; the methods used by insurers to investigate claims, including first-party property claims; the various types of insurance that corporations need; the duties and obligations of a public adjuster; and how to present a claim that will be paid.

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Certified Expert in Corporate Liability Insurance

A comprehensive program enabling insurance professionals to become Certified Experts in Corporate Property Insurance

A complete course of study providing education and training to allow insurance professionals, after completing the individual classes, to become a Certified Expert in Corporate Property Insurance. The program covers everything an employee, an officer, or a director of a corporation needs to know about the need to get the proper insurance and to resolve any claim presented by the corporation to the insurer

Access Details at http://www.illumeo.com and insert “zalma” in the search bar.

If you sign up for a subscription with Illumeo you may receive a 10% discount if you insert the coupon code Zalma10.

Excellence in Claims Handling Courses From ClaimSchool, Inc. 

The Excellence in Claims Handling program provides everything a person or entity presenting a claim needs to effectively present the claim and provides the insurance claims person with everything he or she needs to properly represent the insurer.

The insured, risk manager, or corporate counsel will be able to present a first party property claim – whether a fire, theft, or windstorm or some other insured against cause – with little difficulty and professionalism and present a sworn proof of loss acceptable to an insurer.

The insurance claims person completing the course will be able to conduct a thorough investigation of the policy and claim. The insurance claims person will also be able to assist an insured to fulfill all of the promises made by the insured to the insurer and the insurer to provide the indemnity promised by the insurance policy.

The series of courses was designed so that the student can obtain the needed information easily while he or she sits down in the morning for a first cup of coffee or any other time in the day in short, easy to consume lessons. For instance, “Insurance and Claims” is made up of three modules and 27 lectures while “Investigating the Property Claim” is made up of four modules and 65 lectures. You can review each course, each module and each lecture at the links below.

Each person completing the course will be able to claim that he or she is a professional first party property claims person ready to provide excellence in claims handling and be ready to resolve any claims problem that arises for the benefit of the insurer and the policy holder.

A key to every insurance claim is the thorough investigation required by law where the insurer’s adjuster or claims person works with the insured or his, her or its representative, to gather sufficient facts to determine the cause and origin of the claimed loss, whether the loss was due to a cause, the risk of loss of which was insured, and if so to determine the extent of the loss and the indemnity owed by the insurer to the insured.

What will students need to know or do before starting this course?

That they want to know how to understand insurance and how the law applies to insurance contracts.

The courses are capable of providing information needed without the assistance of material or software. However, it can be supplemented by books written by the author and available at

 Who should take these courses? Who should not?

The course should be taken by risk managers, corporate counsel, insurance claims management, insurance claims executives, insurance claims adjusters, insurance claims representatives, insurance special investigation unit investigators, public insurance adjusters, insurance coverage lawyers, insurance paralegals, and claims personnel of insurance agencies or insurance brokerages.

The courses are available for license as MP4 videos by making contact with Barry Zalma at zalma@zalma.com.

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Barry Zalma

Go to Zalma Books – E-Books and Articles by Barry Zalma  at the Insurance Claims Library where ClaimSchool publishes the ZIFL, several books and e-books written by Barry Zalma and sponsors Mr. Zalma’s speaking engagements. 

Barry Zalma and
ClaimSchool, Inc.
4441 Sepulveda Boulevard, Inc.
CULVER CITY CA 90230-4844
310-390-4455; https://claimschool.com; zalma@claimshool.com
Follow Barry Zalma on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bzalma
Read Mr. Zalma’s blog “Zalma on Insurance”
Go to “Zalma’s Insurance 101” Video Training  

Go to the Insurance Claims Library; Subscribe to Barry Zalma on Substack.com, Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://rumble.com/zalma Videos from “Barry Zalma on YouTube; Go to the Insurance Claims Library.

The author and publisher disclaim any liability, loss, or risk incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this web site. The information provided is not a substitute for the advice of a competent insurance, legal, or other professional. The Information provided at this site should not be relied on as legal advice. Legal advice cannot be given without full consideration of all relevant information relating to an individual situation. If you desire consultation you may retain the services of Mr. Zalma after signing an engagement letter.

© 2026 Barry Zalma