For Adv. Yanir Harel, one of Israel’s leading insurance claims lawyers, the motto that appears on his website – ‘Our values are the source of our success’ – is far more than a marketing slogan. Harel says that the values of his firm are professionalism, thoroughness, maintaining a good relationship with clients, and a determination to succeed – all of which are required in the struggles against insurance companies who routinely deny individual and company claims on a wide variety of insurance plans, including disability, long-term care, personal accident, life insurance, health insurance, and chronic illness policies.
Adv. Harel, a seasoned attorney with more than twenty years of experience, was once a partner in one of Israel’s leading law firms, and in his early years, represented some of Israel’s top insurance companies before founding his own law firm, which specializes in conducting legal proceedings against some of those very same companies. “Since I used to represent them, I know them very well and know how they work,” he says. “When I bring a claim, they treat it differently. They know that they can’t fool me. I will pursue the case to the very end.”
Harel says that insurance companies will sometimes send out letters rejecting claims on personal insurance policies, citing violations on the part of the insured party or the policy’s inapplicability to the circumstances. They may claim that the insured party didn’t provide the correct statements on his health declaration and cancel the policy. Other times, the policy owner will say that he can no longer work and requires compensation through the disability policy. The insurance company may counter and say that the policyholder is not completely unable to work. Adv. Harel, representing the policyholder, will then enter the fray.
“Many people don’t bother fighting. If they get a letter from the insurance company that the claim was denied, they don’t always check it. and the insurance company will take advantage of this.” Harel urges people who receive claim rejection letters from insurance companies to consult with an attorney for legal clarification. “People need to fight for their rights and get legal advice. Don’t look at the insurance company’s answer as the final word.” Harel explains that in Israel, insurance claim lawyers provide no-charge consultations, because their fees are taken as a percentage of the settlement.
Adv. Harel is both well-versed in the law and in negotiation techniques, which he honed while studying at Harvard University’s PON (Program on Negotiation) course in Israel. He is the author of an acclaimed legal work, “Evidence Law in Insurance and Road Accident Claims,” acknowledged as a standard text in the field of insurance law, and which has found its place in the libraries of Israel’s courts, leading universities, and colleges. He is a member of the Insurance Committee of the Israel Bar Association and deals with issues relating to insurance legislation and legal arrangements.
The office of Yanir Harel & Co. is located in the Alon Towers in Tel Aviv, where he and his team of seven bilingual lawyers work to achieve the very best results for their clients. Adv. Yanir Harel takes on hundreds of cases per year, and he has achieved a very high rate of success. “You have to be strong and insistent,” says Adv. Harel, “until you get results. This is my specialty.”