Doug Maynard Delivers Insightful Primer at NCBA's 2024 Insurance Law Section Program

Doug Maynard, Jr., renowned for his extensive legal experience and background as a former State Farm insurance adjuster, recently took the stage at the North Carolina Bar Association's 2024 Insurance Law Section Program in Cary. His session, titled "Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage UM/UIM Primer and Perspectives," offered a comprehensive exploration of UM/UIM coverage under the Motor Vehicle Safety and Financial Responsibility Act.

Key Insights on UM/UIM Coverage

For both new and seasoned practitioners, Doug Maynard provided invaluable insights into the basic mechanics of current laws, shedding light on historical perspectives that shaped the statutes and their numerous changes since 1953. In all the legislature has amended the statute approximately thirty-five times, twenty or more changes have involved UM/UIM coverages. Many of the changes reflect the legislature’s response to decisions by the North Carolina appellate courts. The ever-changing statute creates substantial potential pitfalls for attorneys who are new or unfamiliar with the area of law.

Leveraging his unique background, Doug delved into the intricacies of UM/UIM coverage, emphasizing the evolving landscape of laws and recent legislative overhaul of the coverages in which North Carolina UM/UIM becomes excess to liability coverages and no longer subject to offset by liability coverages effective for policies issued on or after January 1, 2025. In the change the legislature increases the state’s minimum limits for liability, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for personal injuries to $50,000 (per person) / $100,000 (per accident). The first increase since 1999.

This act aims to modify insurance laws in North Carolina. Part XII specifically focuses on raising the minimum liability limits for state-required insurance and adjusting how the total applicable amount of underinsurance coverage is calculated.

A Perspective from a Lawyers’ Lawyer

As a former insurance adjuster with over 30 years of legal experience, Doug brought a wealth of knowledge to the seminar. His expertise extends beyond the podium, as evidenced by his three appearances before the North Carolina Supreme Court since 2015. Doug's engaging session catered to attorneys on “both sides of the fence” – insurance defense and policyholder/insured/beneficiary attorneys. Doug has been consulted and, in some instances, written portions of the statutory changes in at least four of the legislative amendments to the UM/UIM statute since 2003. He also served as editor of “Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Insurance In North Carolina” published by LexisNexis.

A Reputable Legal Figure

Doug Maynard, operating from the Law Office of C. Douglas Maynard Jr. PLLC in Winston-Salem, has established a strong reputation for delivering high-quality legal representation. With particular expertise in uninsured/underinsured motorist claims, Doug actively contributes to the legal discourse through amicus briefs and frequent presentations within the legal community. 

Other attorneys frequently consult or associate Doug to assist them with complex insurance coverage matters. They often contact him in when things appear to have “gone south.” The highest compliment is a referral from a fellow attorney. Obviously not all cases end successfully but it’s great when it all works out in the end.

Following the successful conclusion of a recent matter, a North Carolina attorney who associated Doug to help in a case recently wrote him:

“Doug, you have been fantastic in this case and I am so glad I called you when this all went down.”

Doug Maynard's participation in the 2024 Insurance Law Section Program reflects his commitment to advancing legal knowledge and fostering meaningful discussions within the legal community. His seminar not only provided a primer on UM/UIM coverage but also exemplified his dedication to empowering fellow lawyers with valuable insights. As a prominent figure in the field, Doug continues to shape conversations and contribute significantly to the practice of insurance law in North Carolina.