Chip Merlin’s Bind – Be Careful What You Wish For

Chip Merlin, a prominent attorney in the insurance world, has recently found himself in a bit of an ethical bind.

On one hand, Merlin loudly called for “immediate and decisive action” from Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis and the Department of Financial Services in response to the troubling practices exposed by 60 MINUTES, where Merlin’s own colleague Steven Bush highlighted problems with insurance claims handling.

Just days later, Patronis took up the call and issued an Emergency Rule designed to bring accountability and transparency to Florida’s claims process.

And now? Chip Merlin is voicing objections to the very action he requested.

In his recent blog, Merlin criticizes the Emergency Ethics Rule, which he had practically demanded.

This move is bewildering: why rally the public for swift government intervention, then balk when that intervention arrives in force?

One could argue that Merlin’s stance on transparency and ethics has conveniently shifted, now that his own professional interests are implicated.

Merlin’s influence on Florida’s insurance claims system is undeniable.

He’s been vocal about holding insurance companies to high ethical standards, and the Emergency Rule aligns with that goal.

The rule aims to bring clarity to the often opaque world of claims adjustment, ensuring that every player in the process operates above board.

In short, it promotes exactly the kind of transparency Merlin’s firm has long championed.

Yet now that the rule is here, Merlin appears to be hedging, seemingly uncomfortable with the kind of oversight he’s helped put into motion.

In a curious twist, it’s as though Merlin got precisely what he asked for—only to realize it may not work as well for his firm as he anticipated.

The irony here is thick: one of the loudest voices for reform is now calling foul on the very reforms he helped set in motion.

Perhaps Merlin expected to shape these regulations more favorably for his interests, but as the saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.”

Ultimately, Merlin and his firm could benefit from the clarity this rule brings—so long as they play by the rules they helped create.

Ethics in the insurance claims world must be universal; no one, not even Chip Merlin, should have a special pass.

If there’s one thing Merlin and I can both agree on, it’s that the claims process should be fully transparent, with all parties knowing exactly who’s involved at every step.

That’s what the Emergency Rule provides. Now, it’s time for everyone, including Merlin Law Group, to walk the walk.