About Michael T. Watkins

I am currently the owner and managing partner of the Law Offices of Michael T. Watkins. Over my legal career I have tried more than one hundred jury trials to verdict. Since first being admitted to the California State Bar in 1978, I have held various legal positions including, but not limited to, Deputy District Attorney, criminal defense attorney, insurance defense attorney, plaintiff’s personal injury attorney and plaintiff’s employment law attorney. I am “AV” rated by Martindale Hubbell, its highest rating.

I have personally handled numerous cases involving insurance issues since the early 1980’s. I have served as a mediator, arbitrator, plaintiff’s counsel, defense counsel and coverage counsel for insurance companies in insurance litigation. From 2001 through 2010 I represented State Farm Fire and Casualty Company pursuing its subrogation interests in more than sixty property loss cases.

Since 2007 my firm began prosecuting claims on behalf of first party policy holders/insureds against their insurance companies that violated the insurance claims handling regulations contained in Washington Administrative Code (“WAC”) 284-30-300 et seq.

In my opinion, the only way to stop this abusive conduct by insurers is to litigate these claims vigorously and through the award of attorney fees, costs and extra-contractual damages, bring monetary pressure on insurers in our state, to comply with the Insurance Commissioner’s claims handling regulations.