Harry P. Begier, Jr. is an attorney based in Philadelphia, PA specializing in first party property insurance
work (insurance disputes) mainly for the insured. This field includes fires, windstorms, structural damage,
business interruption, boiler and machinery claims and all other forms of property damage customarily
insured under a property policy as opposed to a liability policy. Typical problems for which clients seek
assistance are not being paid, not being paid the proper amount or delay in payment from their insurer.
Mr. Begier’s practice includes general consulting on problems involving claims, assistance in the
presentation of claims before suit as well as in trial courts and the appellate courts and also in appraisals
including acting as an appraiser.
Mr. Begier began his insurance litigation career in 1967 with the predecessor of Cozen & O’Connor, Cozen,
Begier & O’Connor, and was one of its founders specializing in first party property insurance work mainly for
insurers. He won the first arson defense case for the firm and also served as its Chief Financial Officer. He
briefly retired from the practice of law in 1986 to pursue opportunities in the real estate and corporate
finance area.
Mr. Begier was also active as an attorney for the Republican Party in Philadelphia. He participated with top
Republican lawyers in the “Interim Tax Case” which challenged the right of the City and School Board to levy
taxes in the middle of the budget year. Mr. Begier wrote the brief on the School Board issues and the
Supreme Court adopted it word for word holding that under the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter such
“interim taxes” were prohibited. In 1971 Mr. Begier brought a suit that established the Register of Wills of
Philadelphia was an independent office under the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter. Thereafter, Mr. Begier
served as Solicitor to the Register of Wills. In 1978 Mr. Begier brought a suit in which the Supreme Court
held that under the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter School District employees working in the Board of
Revision of Taxes remained employees of the School District while working there.
In 1990, Mr. Begier returned to law practice representing mainly insureds in the first party property insurance
area including the representation of large corporate insureds such as Philadelphia Electric Company,
Baltimore Gas & Electric Company, PNC Bank and General Electric Capital Corp. His representation also
includes low income and minority clients. He won the first bad faith punitive damage verdict under
Pennsylvania’s new bad faith statute in 1992 and the first assessment of attorney’s fees under the statute
for a low income and disabled client.
In addition to acting as an attorney in the first party property insurance field, Mr. Begier has also served as
an arbitrator and appraiser in first party cases involving claims as large as $200 million. He has also
lectured extensively in the first party area nationally.
While based in Philadelphia, Mr. Begier has been involved in cases in Arizona, District of Columbia,
Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina,
New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, State of Washington, Utah as well as Pennsylvania.
Mr. Begier is a graduate of Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Mr. Begier
also is a graduate of the U.S. Steel Accounting Management Program.
24 Cricket Avenue
Suite 415
Ardmore, PA 19003-1467
Telephone Numbers:
Telephone: (484) 417-6179
Facsimile: (484) 413-2686 (new)
Mobile: (215) 559-4150
EMAIL: harry@begier.com
WEBSITE: www.begier.com