Coastal Research gives OCTLA members a researched view of a defendant's liability coverage before the demand goes out, delivered within hours.
Two reports. One clear picture of the case.
Coastal Research is a plaintiff-side pre-litigation research firm serving Orange County trial lawyers, from Santa Ana to San Clemente. Order directly through Coastal.
How much coverage may be in play?
A researched report on the defendant's liability coverage, built for case screening and demand strategy.
- Personal and commercial analysis
- Umbrella and excess assessment
- Policy existence search when the carrier is unknown
Is there anything beyond the policy?
What may be recoverable when limits look low or the defendant's status is unclear.
- Property and asset research
- Business affiliations
- Bankruptcy, liens, and judgments
Results are a data-driven analysis of liability coverage, not the carrier's confirmed policy limits. Use them to size and strategize a case before filing, not as proof of coverage.
The OCTLA vision
Orange County's premier advocates for the protection of individuals and their access to civil justice.
The mission
To protect the rights of people who have been harmed by the wrongful acts of others, by providing:
Superior education and training for attorneys.
Seminars in person and online, built around the practice of Orange County trial lawyers.
Access to the collective resources, knowledge, and experience of our members.
The listserve, the document bank, and a community of colleagues who share what they know.
Promotion and support of laws which correct injustice and protect access to the civil justice system.
Advocacy for the people trial lawyers represent, in Orange County and in Sacramento.
Research that helps OCTLA members serve their clients.
Policy limit analysis and due diligence, before the first demand goes out.
The place to build
lasting relationships.
OCTLA is the place to build lasting professional and personal relationships. Membership puts you in contact with Orange County's top trial lawyers and legal support specialists.
Listserve
A members-only network for questions, strategy, and shared experience.
Document bank
Work product shared by fellow members, available through the member center.
Seminar calendar
In-person and virtual seminars throughout the year.
Orange County court updates
Updates from the local courts that shape day-to-day practice.
Top Gun Awards
OCTLA's annual recognition of Orange County's leading trial lawyers.
Summer internship program
Bringing law students into Orange County's plaintiff practice.
Orange County
Policy limit questions.
A policy limit analysis is a data-driven, pre-litigation report of likely liability coverage, built from lawful sources and provided as an informational tool. Orange County trial lawyers use it to screen cases, plan demand strategy, and decide whether to file.
California, including Orange County, has no general statute requiring an insurer to disclose its insured's liability limits before a lawsuit is filed. Actual limits usually come from the insured's consent or a voluntary disclosure. After filing, California Code of Civil Procedure section 2017.210 makes the existence and limits of insurance discoverable. A policy limit analysis gives a researched view of coverage at the pre-litigation stage.
Many attorneys order one at intake or before drafting a demand, when the defendant's carrier is known but the limits are not. If no insurance information is known, a policy existence search is the starting point.
For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, California's minimum auto liability limits are $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury and $15,000 for property damage, rising to 50/100/25 in 2035. Minimums are a floor, not a measure of what any defendant carries.
No. Policy numbers, declarations pages, endorsements, and coverage as of a date of loss come from the insured, the carrier, or discovery. A policy limit analysis is a high-level assessment of coverage for pre-litigation strategy.
No. They are separate organizations. OCTLA is part of the Coastal Network of plaintiff associations, and OCTLA members order reports directly through Coastal.
General information about California law, not legal advice. Attorneys should apply their own judgment to each matter.
Get started
Get started with Coastal.
Tell us about your firm and we will set you up. Let us know if you are an OCTLA member.
Questions? cases@coastalresearch.net or (208) 581-4265.
Built for Orange County.
Coastal Research stands with OCTLA and the trial lawyers who protect the people of Orange County.