The RegistryCounty Record · California

Insurance Attorneys in Monterey County, California

Counsel when the carrier says no — denied, delayed, and underpaid claims. In Monterey County, that work runs through the Superior Court of California, County of Monterey. This directory presents insurance records from official State Bar of California data in neutral order.

The Salinas Valley's agricultural economy defines the county's civil docket — farm labor, wage-and-hour, and injury matters — heard chiefly in Salinas and Monterey. Venue for most insurance matters arising in the county lies with the Superior Court of California, County of Monterey, seated at Salinas.

The law also keeps time: property policies commonly require suit within 12 months of loss — check the policy under Cal. Ins. Code § 2071. The standard fire policy's 12-month suit clause is tolled while the claim is pending (Prudential-LMI v. Superior Court (1990) 51 Cal.3d 674). Bad faith tort claims run two years; breach of written policy, four (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 335.1, 337). The plaque below carries the citation; the roster that follows carries the rest.

This page is the Monterey County chapter of the registry's statewide record — Insurance Lawyers in California collects all 58 counties.

The clock & the court

Statute of limitations

Property policies commonly require suit within 12 months of loss — check the policy.

Cal. Ins. Code § 2071

The standard fire policy's 12-month suit clause is tolled while the claim is pending (Prudential-LMI v. Superior Court (1990) 51 Cal.3d 674). Bad faith tort claims run two years; breach of written policy, four (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 335.1, 337).

Court of record

Superior Court of California, County of Monterey.

County seat: Salinas

Official court information, locations, and filing rules: www.monterey.courts.ca.gov

Insurance · Monterey County roster

21 attorneys on the official State Bar of California roll list insurance among their practice areas with an address of record in Monterey County.

20 of them hold an active licence; the remainder are recorded as inactive and are not currently eligible to practise.

The roster concentrates in Salinas (10), Monterey (4), Carmel (2) and Pebble Beach (2).

1 hold a State Bar Certified Legal Specialist designation — a certification issued by the State Bar's Board of Legal Specialization, and not a rating or a ranking.

2 are recorded as taking client work in a language other than English.

Admission years on this roster run from 1972 to 2025.

The employers most represented here are Moncrief & Hart, PC (2).

Gerald V Barron

Business Litigation · Carmel By The

Bar #53118 · Admitted 1972

Official record

Lester O. Brown

Business Litigation · Pacific Grove

Bar #160828 · Admitted 1992

Official record

Angus J. Cannon

Business Litigation · Salinas

Bar #292927 · Admitted 2013

Official record

Rhonda S. Combs

Business Litigation · Salinas

Bar #247859 · Admitted 2006

Official record

Shelley L. Cook

Insurance · Monterey

Bar #214449 · Admitted 2001

Official record

Glenda de Guzman

Business Litigation · Monterey

Bar #203631 · Admitted 1999

Official record

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Insurance questions, cited

What is insurance bad faith in California?

Every policy carries an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; an insurer that unreasonably denies, delays, or underpays a claim breaches it in tort — exposing itself beyond policy limits to consequential damages, emotional distress, attorney fees under Brandt v. Superior Court (1985) 37 Cal.3d 813, and potentially punitive damages (Cal. Civ. Code § 3294). Unreasonable claim practices are also cataloged in Ins. Code § 790.03(h).

How long does an insurance company have to respond to my claim in California?

California's Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations set the clock: acknowledge the claim within 15 days, accept or deny within 40 days of proof of claim, and pay accepted claims within 30 days (10 Cal. Code Regs. § 2695.5, § 2695.7). Delays require written status updates every 30 days. Violations feed both Department of Insurance complaints and bad-faith litigation.

How long do I have to sue my insurance company?

It depends on the theory and the policy. Property policies typically incorporate the standard fire form's requirement that suit be filed within 12 months of the loss (Cal. Ins. Code § 2071), tolled while the claim is pending (Prudential-LMI v. Superior Court (1990) 51 Cal.3d 674). Breach of a written policy otherwise runs four years (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 337) and bad faith tort claims two (§ 335.1).

What are my rights after a wildfire loss in California?

Substantial ones, strengthened after recent fire seasons: in a declared disaster, insurers must offer at least 30 days' advance living expenses (Cal. Ins. Code § 2061), provide up to 36 months of additional living expenses coverage for total losses (§ 2060), pay a minimum percentage of contents coverage without a full inventory (§ 10103.7), and renew policies in disaster areas for at least two renewals (§ 675.1).

What if the driver who hit me has no insurance?

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage — which insurers must offer with every California auto policy (Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2) — steps in for your damages up to your UM limits, including hit-and-run collisions with physical contact. UM claims are resolved by arbitration rather than lawsuit under the statute, and your own insurer owes you the same good-faith handling duties as any claimant.

Legal information, not legal advice.

From the answer files

Insurance by city in Monterey County

Related counsel in Monterey County

Insurance in nearby counties

Source: Cal. Ins. Code § 2071 · State Bar of California licensee records · Checked: · Maintained by the California Attorney Registry from official State Bar of California records. Legal information, not legal advice.

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