As published in Texas Automotive Magazine

Robert L. McDorman was a featured columnist in Texas Automotive Magazine from September 2018 to December 2025. He wrote the following articles for the column “Ask The Expert”.

He decided to step away from writing to focus entirely on the litigation work that now demands his full attention. In active lawsuits, Robert’s published analysis is increasingly being twisted by opposing counsel to complicate the very cases where he’s fighting for fairness. By stepping back, Robert can better protect the legal battles that matter most as we secure the mandatory Right to Appraisal in Texas.

Consequently, December 2025 was Robert’s last month to write these editorials. Please reach out to him with any questions by submitting them on the Contact page.

December 2025 – How Do the Texas Mandatory Binding RTA Rules Affect State Farm Policy Holders?
November 2025 – Keeping the Public Informed on Mandatory Right to Appraisal
October 2025 – Informing the Public about Mandatory Right to Appraisal
September 2025 – More Mandatory Appraisal Bill: Rulemaking Considerations Explored
August 2025 –Exploring the Texas Mandatory Binding RTA Rulemaking Phase & Qualification Criteria
July 2025 – Texas Mandatory Binding Right to Appraisal Rights Becomes Law
June 2025 – What are the Latest Developments with Texas’ Mandatory Right to Appraisal Journey?
May 2025 – Texas Gets Closer to Mandatory Right to Appraisal
April 2025 – The Importance of Right to Appraisal Time Triggers (Part 2)
March 2025 – The Importance of Right to Appraisal Time Triggers (Part 1)
February 2025 – Great Awareness Needed for Policyholders’ Rights via Right to Appraisal
January 2025 – TDI’s Appraisal Experience Data Call Report Supports the Need for Mandatory Appraisal Rights
December 2024 – Texans’ Right-of-Appraisal Rights are Being Heard
November 2024 – A Right to Appraisal Gone Bad
October 2024 – What’s the Deal with the Texas Department of Insurance Appraisal Data Call?
September 2024 – Carriers Wrongfully Reducing Settlement by the Salvage Value is Happening Everywhere
August 2024 – Latest Total Loss Scheme: Insurance Carriers Abandoning Vehicles at Shops
July 2024 – Why is the Mandatory Right to Appraisal in Texas so Important?
May 2024 – Why do we Need Mandatory Right to Appraisal in Texas?
April 2024 – Still Progressing Down the Road toward Mandatory Right to Appraisal in Texas
March 2024 – Journey to Mandatory Right to Appraisal in Texas Continues
February 2024 – A Well-Funded Mandatory Right to Appraisal Journey in Texas Continues
January 2024 – What are the Next Steps toward Mandatory Appraisal Rights?
December 2023 – Joe Collins: True Texas Hero
November 2023 – What is the Latest Under-Indemnification Scheme?
October 2023 – What is the Next Step toward Mandatory Right to Appraisal?
September 2023 – Do You See These Types of Unlawful Claims Handling Practices Often?
August 2023 – Consumer Rights and the $248,000 Way to Relief when Cheated by Your Insurance Company
July 2023 – Hail of a Scheme: What Options Do My Clients Have?
June 2023 – Our Journey Continues: the Latest Appraisal Bill Update
May 2023 – What is the Latest Update on the Appraisal Bill?
April 2023 – Are Lawmakers Changing their Mindset about Consumer Safety?
March 2023 – Reader Reports Latest Under-Indemnification Scheme
February 2023 – Fact Checking GEICO’s Deficient Response to TDI (Part 2)
January 2023 – Fact Checking GEICO’s Deficient Response to TDI (Part 1)
December 2022 – Who is Affected by the Insurance Carrier Economic Total Loss Scheme?
November 2022 – More Questions from the Texas House Committee’s September Hearing
October 2022 – Questions about the Texas House Committee’s September Hearing
September 2022 – How did my Client’s Repairable Vehicle Get Recorded as a “Total Loss”?
August 2022 – Why Do Some Insurers Pay for Certain Operations and Procedures that Others Don’t?
July 2022 – Are Our Clients the Only Ones who Suffer from Delays in the Claim Process?
June 2022 – What Is One of the Most Bizarre Claims You Have Handled?
May 2022 – Why are Safely Repairable Vehicles being Totaled in Oklahoma?
April 2022 – What is the Difference between Settled Appraised Actual Cash Value Supported Data versus Carrier’s Market Valuation Report Unsupported Data?
February 2022 – What Changes Should Be Made to the Current Titling of Vehicles Deemed a Total Loss?
January 2022 – State Farm’s “Prevailing Competitive Price” Scheme Unveiled
December 2021 – How to Define Loss Associated with a Total Loss
November 2021 – Can a Policy’s Right of Appraisal Resolve the Salvage Value Dispute between the Insurer and Insured?
October 2021 – How Can Shops Ensure Proper Indemnification when an Appraisal is Denied Unlawfully?
September 2021 – What Relief is Available for Consumers Wronged by Insurers?
August 2021 – How Can Shops Reverse an Insurer’s Total Loss of a Safely Repairable Vehicle?
July 2021 – How Can a Diminished Value Claim Help a Consumer?
May 2021 – What is the Prevailing Practice and How is it Determined?
April 2021 – How Could State Farm Undervalue my Tacoma, Deem it a Total Loss and Deduct from my Settlement?
February 2021 – How Could USAA do this to my Beetle?
January 2021 – Why Would USAA Undervalue My 2006 Jeep Wrangler and Deem It a Total Loss?
December 2020 – How Do You Rectify a State Farm Insured’s Under-Indimnification of Loss After Appraisal?
November 2020 – Is There a Safety Net to a Proper Repair?
October 2020 – Is State Farm Totaling Clients’ Vehicles without Inspection or Appraisal?
September, 2020 – How Did My Client’s Repairable Vehicle Get Recorded by the Texas Department of Transportation as Non-Repairable/Salvage?
August 2020 – Has COVID-19 Led to Increased Carrier Profits at the Insureds´ Expense?
July 2020 – Beyond TDI: Finding Help With Auto Insurance Complaints
June 2020 – How Will You Help Our Clients When Insurers Refuse to Return Vehicles Back to Pre-Loss Condition?
May 2020 – How Will You Work To Get Your Clients Made Whole?
April 2020 – What Changes Should be Made to the Current Titling of Vehicles Deemed a Total Loss by the Insurance Carrier
March 2020 – What Would be the Next Step in the Battle?
February 2020 – Game Over: Will the TDI act on Unfair Settlement Practice Violations?
January 2020 – Who Enforces Policyholder Rights?
December 2019 – Does the Customer Have Any Rights?
November 2019 – Was my Client’s Vehicle Really a Total Loss?
October 2019 – by Gap On Top of Gap: How Can This Be?”
September 2019 – How Many Times Does This Happen?
August 2019 – What will you be presenting at ABAT’s Trade Show?
July 2019 – What is one of the most bizarre claims you have handled?
June 2019 – A Follow-up To: What happens to a total loss vehicle when it leaves the collision repair facility?
May 2019 – What happens to a total loss vehicle when it leaves the collision repair facility?
April 2019 – What is the prevailing rate, and how is it determined?
March 2019 – How do non-OEM certified repairs affect vehicle value?
February 2019 – Exploring Total Loss Threshold, Total Loss Formula and Salvage
January 2019 – An Insured’s Remedy for Indemnity Issues
December 2018 – Please help me understand why the Insurance Carrier totaled a repairable vehicle
November 2018 – Fighting Back Against Short-Pays
October 2018 – OEM Blueprint Repair Plan vs Insurance Photo App Estimate
September 2018 – Shop Rates vs. “Prevailing Competitive Rates”