Heidi Loken Benas

Heidi Loken Benas is Special Counsel to the firm’s Insurance Law group, with an emphasis on general liability, professional liability, flood, employment practices liability, marine and homeowners’ insurance.

Ms. Benas is one of the firms “Monitoring counsel” for London Underwriters of professional liability risks, where she acts as a liaison between Underwriters, insureds and defense counsel, analyzing coverage and exposure. She frequently drafts coverage opinions, reservation of rights and denial letters for these clients. Ms. Benas also represents insurers in declaratory relief actions, and defends these insurers against bad faith claims. Finally, she has represented the interests of insurers in numerous Federal Court Appeals, on issues including trigger of coverage, advertising injury and strict construction of notice of condition in flood policy.

Ms. Benas is active in a number of professional organizations, including the Northern California Association of Defense Counsel and the ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section.