Steven Plitt - Phoenix, AZ

Overview

During his 40+ year practice career, Mr. Plitt managed a large litigation practice where he represented policyholders and insureds in litigation, as well as acting as coverage counsel for insurance companies. Since 2001, Mr. Plitt’s practice has almost exclusively involved the handling of complex insurance coverage and insurance bad faith cases for insurance companies or as an expert consultant for both insurance companies and insureds. He has extensive trial and litigation experience. He is a veteran of numerous cases tried to jury verdict.

Mr. Plitt is the senior author (emeritus, 2001-2023) of the widely recognized and authoritative insurance coverage treatise series titled COUCH ON INSURANCE 3D. Mr. Plitt and his team were rewriting and revising the treatise series. This treatise series comprises 27 volumes of substantive texts covering all aspects of insurance. He is the author of ARIZONA LIABILITY INSURANCE LAW which is a treatise on Arizona insurance coverage. He is also an author of the national treatises THE CLAIM ADJUSTER’S AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY HANDBOOK and PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR HANDLING INSURANCE CASES. He is a Senior Contributing Editor and Editorial Board Member of the nationally recognized INSURANCE LITIGATION REPORTER. He was on the Editorial Board for Claims Journal.

Mr. Plitt has been cited by the Supreme Courts in 38 states, the Intermediate Appellate Courts in 27 states, 11 of the Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal, 81 Federal District Courts, the Federal Court of Claims, and 4 Federal Bankruptcy Courts. Mr. Plitt has also been cited in 96 scholarly articles and the Code of Federal Regulations.

Mr. Plitt is currently teaching insurance law at the University of Arizona’s College of Law. He is a former adjunct professor of law at Arizona State University’s College of Law where he taught the insurance law curriculum. He has been a licensed insurance broker since 1974. Mr. Plitt is listed as one of THE BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA® (2007-present) in the field of insurance law. He was identified as one of PHOENIX’S TOP LAWYERS by PHOENIX MAGAZINE®. He was selected as a SOUTHWEST SUPER LAWYER® (2007 - 2023) and chosen by SUPER LAWYERS® and his peers as one of the Top 50 Lawyers in Arizona (2007 - 2022) . Mr. Plitt was named Lawyers of the Year for Litigation – Insurance by BEST LAWYERS® (2020 and 2024) and was selected as the Insurance Lawyers of the Year by BEST LAWYERS® (2012, 2017, and 2024). Mr. Plitt is ranked as a Band 1 Insurance Lawyers for Arizona by CHAMBERS AND PARTNERS USA. He is a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel.

Mr. Plitt has been qualified as a claims handling expert in both state and federal courts. Over the years Mr. Plitt has analyzed coverage issues in almost all states and has been an expert witness consultant in matters venued in 32 states. He has been an expert consultant for policyholders/insured and insurance companies in hundreds of matters in the following venues: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Mr. Plitt has been involved with drafting of insurance policies generally, and endorsements specifically, and has worked closely with insurance company product development committees and/or corporate counsel regarding the evaluation of existing policy language and possible amendments.

Mr. Plitt is available to consult in cases involving insurance coverage, claims handling, underwriting, insurance company practice and procedure, insurance company compliance with principles of good faith and fair dealing. Additionally, because Mr. Plitt has held his insurance broker’s license since 1974, he is available to consult on insurance agent E&O cases.