One year after a New Jersey law went into effect allowing individuals to sue their auto insurance companies for unreasonably denying or delaying payment benefits, some litigators say the balance of power between policyholders and insurers has shifted.

Frank Lazzaro of Lutz, Shafranski, Gorman, Mahoney & Lazzaro in New Brunswick. Courtesy photo

Appellate courts have yet to weigh in on some finer points of the New Jersey Insurance Fair Conduct Act, such as what conduct constitutes a showing of bad faith by an insurance company.