Insurance Law

Recent Posts

Sacramento Glass Harvesting Ring Files Over One Thousand False Windshield Chip Repair Claims
Posted on 6 Dec 2013 by LexisNexis Insurance Law Newsroom Staff

Insurance rip-off totals nearly $100,000 The California Department of Insurance Fraud Division today announced the arrest of three-of-six individuals suspected of running a glass harvesting ring—filing more than 1,000 false insurance claims... Read More

Staged Auto Collision Schemes By Scam Artists Target Innocent Drivers – Endanger Other Drivers and Cost Public
Posted on 19 Sep 2013 by LexisNexis Insurance Law Newsroom Staff

Drivers should be alert for staged auto collisions that target innocent drivers. Last year 59.5 percent of all insurance fraud referrals received by the California Department of Insurance were for suspected automobile insurance fraud. In Los Angeles County... Read More

Insurance Agent Secretly Adds Her Own Car To Client's Insurance Policy
Posted on 28 Oct 2013 by LexisNexis Insurance Law Newsroom Staff

The California Department of Insurance arrested Graciela Elena Paredes, aka, Graciela Elena Gaxiola, 36, of Corona, on October 17, 2013. Paredes was arrested on one felony count of insurance fraud for adding herself to a client’s auto insurance... Read More

Cadwalader Clients & Friends Memo: Important Court Decision For No-Fault Insurers: Federal Court Rejects Limitation on State Farm v. Mallela
Posted on 15 Jan 2013 by Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

We are pleased to inform you that our firm has obtained a very favorable and significant decision for no-fault insurers on an important issue of first impression. Specifically, on January 7, 2013, in the case of Allstate Ins. Co. v. Elzanaty , the United... Read More

Bullivant Secures Jury Verdict, Court Awards Judgment under Counterclaim for First-Party Insurance Fraud
Posted on 3 Oct 2011 by Bullivant Houser Bailey PC

By John A. Bennett, Stuart D. Jones, Matthew E. Hedberg, Andrew E. Passmore, Attorneys, Bullivant Houser Bailey PC Following a two-month trial, Safeco Insurance Company of Oregon was awarded $9.977 million on its counterclaim for insurance fraud against... Read More

Insurance Agent Issued Bogus Insurance Certificates to Dupe Clients
Posted on 18 Dec 2013 by LexisNexis Insurance Law Newsroom Staff

Rodger Edward Winkler, a property and casualty insurance agent, has been arrested and charged with numerous felonies including two counts of felony grand theft, three counts of felony insurance fraud, and one count of petty theft, for allegedly collecting... Read More

Former Orange County Life Insurance Agent Arrested and Charged with Felony Elder Abuse
Posted on 26 Nov 2013 by LexisNexis Insurance Law Newsroom Staff

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has announced that former life insurance agent, Myles Seishin Hanashiro, 47, was arrested and booked at Los Angeles County Jail on four felony counts of financial elder abuse. Acting as a licensed life insurance... Read More

Organized Crime Insurance Fraud Ring Busted by California Department of Insurance Investigators
Posted on 21 Aug 2013 by LexisNexis Insurance Law Newsroom Staff

A joint investigation with the Contra Costa District Attorney’s office led Department of Insurance investigators to the arrest of five individuals for allegedly running an insurance fraud ring throughout northern California and northern Nevada.... Read More

“Millions for Defense and not a Dime for Tribute.” Attempted Fraud Fails
Posted on 20 Jun 2011 by Barry Zalma

By Barry Zalma, Attorney and Consultant Insurers Must Never Pay a Fraud When I was a young adjuster the motto of the insurance industry was "Millions for Defense and not a Dime for Tribute." Fraud was known but not a large problem. Police... Read More

Dancing Hamster Arrested On Insurance Fraud Charges
Posted on 11 Jun 2014 by LexisNexis Insurance Law Newsroom Staff

Leroy Barnes of Los Angeles, known as one of the dancing hamsters in Kia commercials, was arrested on insurance fraud charges related to his alleged fraudulent collection of state disability insurance benefits. Barnes is suspected of deceiving his doctors... Read More

Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Felony Insurance Fraud Over Mickey Mantle Baseball Cards
Posted on 27 Aug 2013 by LexisNexis Insurance Law Newsroom Staff

Keith Hooks, a former City of Tracy police officer, has pled guilty to felony insurance fraud after falsifying a claim for the loss of three Mickey Mantle collector baseball cards. The California Department of Insurance initiated an investigation in May... Read More

Former Broker-Agent Charged with Multiple Felonies for Identity Theft and Forgery; More Victims Are Possible
Posted on 26 Dec 2013 by LexisNexis Insurance Law Newsroom Staff

Convicted felon uses stolen identity to secure credit card and submit bogus insurance applications Eugene Shy-Ren Hsu, a former insurance broker-agent, was arrested by California Department of Insurance officers and charged with multiple felony... Read More

Free Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter May 1, 2012
Posted on 1 May 2012 by Barry Zalma

By Barry Zalma, Attorney and Consultant In this, the ninth issue of the 16th year of publication Zalma's Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL), ZIFL reports on: 1. Barry Zalma reports on an interesting appellate decision that convicted a person for failing... Read More

Trusted Insurance Broker Steals From Friends, Relatives and Fellow Congregants – Nine Years in Prison
Posted on 30 Nov 2011 by Barry Zalma

Walter Marion Williams pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341 , and was sentenced to a term of 108 months' imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Williams appealed from his sentence... Read More

Insurer Avoids Liability for Agent’s Fraud
Posted on 25 Aug 2011 by Barry Zalma

By Barry Zalma, Attorney and Consultant Contract between Agent and Insurer The relationship between insurance agents and brokers with insurers is based upon the contract between the insurer and the agent or broker. When the agent or broker breaches... Read More