Features 5 Advertising 9 Kim Komando 22 Inside Track 27 Insider Advisor
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EIGHT BROWARD COUNTY RESIDENTS ARRESTED IN PIP FRAUD CASE OHIO AGENT SENTENCED FOR INSURANCE FRAUD AND THEFT QQSOLUTIONS RECOGNIZED AS FASTEST GROWING AGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SLAY VAMPIRE ELECTRONICS TO SAVE BIG MONEY - BY KIM KOMANDO WHEN POOP IS A CONTAMINANT EXPERT ANALYSIS BY B. ZALMA, ESQ. OBAMACARE ABOUT TO SMASH AMERICANS IN THE FACE, CAUSING MASSIVE INJURY! OP/ED BY SPENCER LEHMANN, RHU
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INSURANCE EXPO 2015! MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
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FEDS WORKING ON TECH TO STOP DRUNK DRIVING • U.K.S POSSIBLE E.U. EXIT HUGE RISK FOR INS INDUSTRY • ALLSTATE OFFERING UBER COVERAGE
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CALIFORNIA INS COMMISSIONER APPOINTS NEW “TOP COP”
HUMAN DNA CONTAINS TRACES OF PAST LIVES! • NOAA REALITY DENIERS FIDDLE WITH CLIMATE DATA TO KEEP GRANTS COMING
OHIO AGENT SENTENCED FOR INSURANCE FRAUD & THEFT
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45TH LAAIA ANNUAL INSURANCE CONVENTION SCHEDULED!
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FLORIDA ARRESTS DOZENS MORE IN OPERATION FLAMES & FLOODS II
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LA FATHER-DAUGHTER SCAM TEAM BUSTED FOR FELONY INSURANCE FRAUD
HILLARY’S STATE DEPT. APPROVED 330 REQUESTS FOR BILL’S APPEARENCES EARNING HIM $50 MILLION... “GLOBAL WARMING” CLIMATE PREDICTIONS EMBARRASSINGLY WRONG FOR GRANT-FUNDED REALITY DENIERS SOMETHING TO REFLECT ON - HOW TO ADJUST AUTO MIRRORS MICHELLE OBAMA - SADLY STILL NOT PROUD OF HER COUNTRY - HUSBAND ELLECTED PRESIDENT AND TENS OF MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER $ SPENT ON HER VACATIONS NOT ENOUGH.. MUSLIM LAW STUDENT APPEARS AT BENGHAZI PANEL TO COMPLAIN GABRIEL RESPONDS WITH EPIC SHUTDOWN CLASSIC MATCHUP: 2015 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT VS 2015 CHEVY CAMARO ZL1! MIAMI LAKES INSURANCE AGENT ARRESTED - DEFRAUDING CONSUMER
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MODERN INSURANCE CONSULTANTS QQ SOLUTIONS H.O.P.E. ST. JAMES INSURANCE COMPANY CLEARWATER UNDERWRITERS ACCU-AUTO NASA - ECLIPSE AGENCY MGT. ACCU-AUTO SLB GROUP ENCORE HR PERSONNEL SOLUTIONS BARRY ZALMA, ESQ. THE TOWING & RENTAL GROUP FYI GEORGIA VIEW & NEWS ORRIN R. BEILLY, ESQ. FINANCEMASTER
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EIGHT BROWARD COUNTY RESIDENTS ARRESTED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN PIP FRAUD SCAM
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ORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater today announced the arrests of eight Broward County residents for PIP (personal injury protection) fraud. An investigation by the Department of Financial Services’ Division of Insurance Fraud revealed the arrested individuals staged a motor vehicle accident in Fort Lauderdale using a hotel van filled with passengers who participated in the scam.
and Jean Regisma of Lauderhill. Stephen Blanc of Lauderdale Lakes and Kennsly Giles of Fort Lauderdale, who were also OLUMBUS — Lieutenant arrested, were Governor Mary Taylor recruited to announced today that ride in the at fault vehicle former McConnelsville insurance that crashed agent James Brent Whitehouse was sentenced in the Morgan into the van. County Court of Common Pleas The case to 90 days in jail with workis being release conditions, five years of prosecuted by community control, 200 hours of the office of community service and ordered to 17th Judicial pay $838.09 in restitution to former Circuit State clients. Whitehouse pleaded guilty A t t o r n e y to insurance fraud and theft earlier Michael J. Satz. this year.
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Accident organizers Petidos and La Pierre were previously arrested in 2014 for their role in another staged accident that occurred in Ronie Petidos of Corals Springs, 2012 in Hollywood, Florida. This Patrick Logene of Tamarac and criminal case is still pending in the Marc La Pierre of Pompano Beach Broward Judicial Court system. were arrested for organizing the accident and sending the participants to clinics they controlled. The participants were FREE also instructed and agreed to CLASSIFIEDS! file fraudulent insurance claims HELP WANTED — POSITION and begin unnecessary therapy WANTED 4 — SALE ITEMS treatments. The arrested van passengers include Shaeronda Jackson and Jeffrey Louis of Fort Lauderdale 4
OHIO AGENT SENTENCED FOR INSURANCE FRAUD AND THEFT
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“Those who commit fraud are harming all Ohioans by driving up the cost of insurance,” said Taylor, also Director of the Ohio Department of Insurance, which led the investigation. “The Department of Insurance will continue to pursue action against those that choose to break insurance laws in Ohio.” In separate incidents, the Department found Whitehouse submitted documentation for false losses related to an approximately $48,000 barn fire claim. Whitehouse also misappropriated $14,000 in client premium funds. The funds were returned and his clients did not go without insurance coverage. The Underwriter’s Insider
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QQSOLUTIONS RECOGNIZED AS FASTEST GROWING AGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Innovation and Customer Care Are Driving Rapid Growth
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with their rate of innovation” said Chris Paradiso, owner of Paradiso Insurance and prominent industry speaker. “I’m not sure what they are feeding their product development team, but keep it up! It’s no wonder that they are the fastest growing agency management system in the market”.
eerfield Beach, Florida, – QQSolutions, Inc., the leading provider of cloud based agency management systems for independent insurance agents, announced the rapid growth of its cloud based system, QQCatalyst to more than 1,500 agencies since 2013. This accelerated growth is primarily attributed to QQ’s continued innovation, affordable modular pricing and improved customer support. These improvements and the fact QQ is also benefiting from a strong referral network, where industry word of mouth is causing agency owners to consider alternatives, are driving the company’s QQCatalyst growth rate at QQSolutions reports to more than 45% over 2014. have made significant infrastructure, service and Building on its 27 year support investments to better track record and their 5,400 engage their community, independent insurance including an integrated agencies who use QQ feedback tool, where technology every day, QQCatalyst captures client QQCatalyst is now the fastest suggestions that the products growing agency management team can then evaluate system currently on the market. and implement. In 2015, “I am seriously impressed QQSolutions also launched its www.underwritersinsider.com
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new Beta program, allowing agents to give feedback and shape future products to be released. This focus on customer care is making an impact according to Jason Cass, owner of JDC Insurance. “It’s clear that QQSolutions listens to the needs of their clients. Their onboarding program
is efficient, engaging, and role based, so agencies are productive in a very short amount of time. I challenge you to find a more clientfocused agency management system.”
See QQ Solutions Growing Pg 37 7
JUNE 2015 A Publication of AdMax Corp Corporate Offices P.O. Box 31551 Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33420 Ron Manera, Senior Editor 561.718.0745 • ron@insurmedia.com © Entire Contents 2015 AdMax Corp
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SLAY VAMPIRE ELECTRONICS TO SAVE BIG MONEY
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idea of what your home’s wasted electricity looks like, Duke Energy has an Energy Slayer Calculator. Just tell it what gadgets you have and it will give you an estimate of how much energy those gadgets are wasting. You’ll be surprised.
Really Cool Info - by Kim Komando
mericans spend $19 billion a year, or around $165 a household, on something completely wasteful. You’ve probably never thought about the electricity your “alwayson” but idle electronics consume all day and night. According to the Natural Resource Defense Council, so-called “vampire electronics” use nearly a quarter of an average home’s energy. It’s a real pain in the neck. Identify your vampire electronics You have vampire electronics in your home. According to the NRDC, 5 1 %
of vampire gadgets are consumer electronics, such as TVs, computers, and home entertainment gear. Most of these go to sleep rather than turn completely off. That makes them start up quicker, but it also means a TV, for example, can cost you up to $54 a year in 24/7 electricity cost. Other problem areas are kitchen and laundry appliances (6%), lighting (5%), and heating and cooling (4%). Likely because this study was done in California, it found 1% goes to electric cars. The remaining 34% is random gadgets like hot water recirculation pumps, surveillance c a m e r a s , floor fans, aquariums, and so forth. If
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Of course, these are just generalities. You might have gear that’s more or less efficient depending on when you bought it and the manufacturer. Also, the waste varies by how much you actually use a gadget every day vs. leaving it “off.” Before you start messing with your household electronics, it helps to know where you should be looking. Pick up an electricity usage monitor that plugs in between your gadget and the wall socket. It will tell you how much electricity your gadget is drawing when it’s idle. Monitors range between $12 and $40, depending on the features. The more expensive models give you more exact measurements and can also tell you voltage and line frequency. This helps detect problems with your home’s power that might shorten your electronics’ lifespan. For example, check out the budget Phantom Power Indicator and the more feature-packed Watt-Killer Electricity Usage Monitor in my shop.
See Kim Komando Pg 39 www.underwritersinsider.com
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WHEN POOP IS A CONTAMINANT Expert Analysis & Commentary by Barry Zalma, Esq. Septage, When It Enters a Water Supply, is an Excluded Pollutant
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ourts of Appeal are required to deal with cases presented to them, even when they deal with factors as unusual as human excrement and urine. Such cases are seldom the subject of insurance disputes. However, in Preisler v. General Cas. Ins. Co., — N.W.2d —-, 2014 WL 7373070 (Wis.), 2014 WI 135 (12/30/2014), the Wisconsin Supreme Court reviewed a decision of the court of appeals that granted summary judgment to insurers applying their pollution exclusions.
Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE is a California attorney specializing in insurance coverage, insurance claims handling and fraud who serves as a consultant and expert for insurers and policyholders. He founded Zalma Insurance Consultants in 2001 and serves as its senior consultant. He recently published an e-book, “Getting The Whole Truth,” which is available at his Web site, www.zalma.com. Go to Zalma Books at http://www.zalma.com/zalmabooks. htm.
ISSUE The issue to be decided was whether a reasonable insured would understand that decomposing septage (primarily composed of human urine and fecal material, as well as other materials disposed of in Join Barry Zalma’s new Blog:
http://www.zalma.com/blog
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the Preislers’ household and farm uses until 2008. Duke, Doug, Dale, and Cheryl Kuettel live on a farm across the road from the Preislers’ farm. From that property, the Kuettels run a farming operation, 4–DK Farm, and a septic pumping service, Kuettel’s Septic Service, LLC. Kuettel’s Septic hauls, stores, and disposes of the waste it pumps from customers’ septic tanks. Kuettel’s Septic also collects waste from grease traps, floor pits, and car washes, which it combines with the human waste from septic tanks.
Septage contains nitrogen, and when septage is introduced into soil, it decomposes. During that biological process nitrates are formed. The presence of nitrates in water supplies is a concern for human health as it may cause septic tanks, grease interceptors health problems in infants and and portable restrooms) is a may be implicated as a risk factor “contaminant” and therefore, associated with chronic health and a “pollutant” as defined in the reproductive problems. liability insurance policies issued by the insurers and whether it is a Fred Preisler and Duke Kuettel pollutant when it has decomposed discussed applying septage on the and seeps into a water supply. Preislers’ farm as fertilizer. Kuettel’s Septic received permission from BACKGROUND the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to apply it. Fred and Tina Preisler operate a Kuettel’s Septic applied septage to dairy farm and raise cattle. A well the Preislers’ farm fields for several drilled in 1972 supplied water for years.
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In 2008, the Preislers experienced problems with their well water. The Preislers’ cattle that drank the water began to die at an uncharacteristic rate. The Preislers further noted a decrease in milk production. August 2008 testing showed the Preislers’ well water contained elevated levels of nitrates, which are produced as septage decomposes. The cattle deaths subsided later in 2008 after the Preislers drilled a new well. The Preislers sued alleging negligence in storing and in applying septage resulting in nuisance and trespass. The Preislers added the parties’ insurers to the suit. The Rural and Regent policies include similarly worded pollution exclusion clauses. They exclude harm “arising out of the actual, alleged, or threatened discharge, dispersal, seepage, migration, release or escape of ‘pollutants’….” The Rural and Regent policies also define “pollutants” similarly as: “any solid, liquid, gaseous or thermal irritant or contaminant, including smoke, vapor, soot, fumes, acids, alkalis, chemicals and waste. Waste includes materials to be recycled, reconditioned or reclaimed .”
DISCUSSION
Seepage into the water supply was not “intended, anticipated, expected. Seepage of Policy Interpretation -The or Supreme Court was asked decomposing septage into the to interpret the pollution water supply is an occurrence. exclusion clause as it applies Here, the resulting harm is water to decomposing septage that with elevated nitrate levels. entered a water supply. Policy language is not ambiguous Pollution Exclusion - Typically, merely because more than one to resolve whether a pollution dictionary definition exists or exclusion applies, the court the parties disagree about its must first determine whether meaning. Policy language also is the substance in question falls not ambiguous because different unambiguously within the policy’s courts have come to differing definition of pollutants. Then, if the substance fits within the interpretations. policy’s definition of pollutants, First a court must examine the it must determine whether the facts of the insured’s claim to alleged loss resulted from the decide whether the policy makes “discharge, dispersal, seepage, an initial grant of coverage for the migration, release or escape” of claim set out in the complaint. The the substance under the plain analysis ends there if the policy terms of the policy’s pollution exclusion clause. clearly does not cover the claim.
The parties did not argue the Preislers’ claims fall outside the policies’ grant of coverage. Due to the fact that most policies define an “occurrence” to mean an “accident,” the pollution coverage issue often turns upon the intent of the insured. Most courts have focused on the damage caused by the pollution and have concluded that there is an occurrence when the insured did not expect or The circuit court concluded that the intend the resultant damage. pollution exclusion clause applies to preclude coverage for alleged The facts of this case, if proved, losses arising out of storage of present an “occurrence” triggering septage and application of septage an initial grant of coverage. Here, to farm fields that is alleged to have the “accident” was the seepage caused contamination of the water of decomposing septage into supply resulting in harm to the the Preislers’ water supply. Preislers. www.underwritersinsider.com
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However, the parties do not appeal the circuit court’s ruling that the Preislers’ alleged damage resulted from the “discharge, dispersal, seepage, migration, release or escape of” decomposing septage within the meaning of the terms in the pollution exclusion clause. Therefore, in this case, the sole inquiry before the Supreme Court was whether, at the time of the occurrence that triggered coverage, the decomposing septage is a pollutant within the policies’ definition. It is a rare substance that is always a pollutant. The most noxious of materials have their appropriate See ZALMA Page 24 11
OBAMACARE ABOUT TO SMASH AMERICANS IN THE FACE, CAUSING MASSIVE INJURY! OP/ED BY SPENCER A. LEHMANN, RHU
HUGE RATE INCREASES, NO ACCESS TO CARE, PUBLIC HOSPITALS CLOSING; THIS TRAIN IS LITERALLY COMING OFF THE TRACKS, NOW!
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hank you, Mr. Obama, for making our lives miserable. You rammed this vast mistake down the throats of Americans to Claim Your Fame. Your ill-gotten legacy is about to create a literal Health Care Reform bloodbath from which we may never recover. We sure hope you think it was worth all of the lies, secrecy, and corrupt actions you took to bring your “Child from Hell” to life. What’s that you say? What bloodbath? Let’s take a look at what awaits America in 2015 and 2016, your final year in Office
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(thank God) and we would love to hear you tell us (that’s US(A), why we should just chill:
Spencer A. Lehmann is a Registered Health Underwriter (RHU), whose company, Lehmann/Wood & Associates, Inc., specializes in Group and Individual Long Term Care insurance and Medicare Supplemental Coverage. Mr. Lehmann retired from his company in 2005 and now spends his time writing on Health Care Insurance and Political Issues, both of which have encompassed over 40+ years of his life. He has been an actively involved member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) since 1978, and serves on the Board of Directors of several Charitable Organizations’ helping Special Needs Children, and Inner-City Children to experience and participate in the world of the Arts and Music. In his free time he plays golf with his wife, Fran, who usually wins.
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First is this headline in the Washington Times, Sir: “Obamacare premiums soar as much as 78% to help cover ‘essential health benefits’”. Say what? As much as 78%? You promised us our premiums would go down by “$2,500.00” per year? Wow! Here’s more from the article (we understand you play too much golf to have time to keep up with the real news): “Average insurance premiums in the soughtafter 23-year-old demographic rose most dramatically, with men in that age group seeing an average 78.2 percent price increase before factoring in government subsidies, and women having their premiums rise 44.9 percent, according to a report by HealthPocket scheduled for release Wednesday. The study, which was shared Tuesday with The Washington Times, examined average health The Underwriter’s Insider
insurance premiums before the implementation of Obamacare in 2013 and then afterward in 2014. The research focused on people of three ages — 23, 30 and 63 — using data for nonsmoking men and women with no spouses or children.” [HERE] Then there’s this, from the Congressional Budget Office, Sir: “Between 2016 and 2018, CBO expects that the benchmark premium—the average cost of a “silver” plan on insurance exchanges—will increase 8.5 percent per annum. There are two reasons for that: First, the government will stop backing insurance programs that have especially high costs, and second, it seems as if many of the new insurance programs created under the law didn’t pay providers as much as employer-based insurance. CBO thinks that’s unsustainable, and that those plans will have to jack up premiums to bring their provider payments up to par. (The full CBO report is here.)”
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Remember the “Sock it to me girl” on Laugh-In, Sir? Well you sure socked it to US! Thanks a bunch, Mr. Obama! We don’t think it’s funny.
Obamacare, unlike Oklahoma. In fact, the share of uninsured residents in Kentucky has fallen from 20.4 percent in 2013 to 11.9 percent in mid-2014, according to Gallup polling. That was the Adding to the horrors in your second-largest decline in the Pandora’s Box you gave us is nation. this from the Oklahoman: Yet this increased coverage is “Kentucky example shows perils of Obamacare….A report by the See ObamaCare’s Troubles- Page 30 Kentucky Hospital Association, “Code Blue,” determined (in the words of a USA Today article) that Obamacare has left Kentucky hospitals “facing billions of dollars in cuts and forced them to lay off staff, shut down services and worry for their financial health and, in some cases, survival.” The association estimated hospital payment cuts under Obamacare will total nearly $7 billion through 2024, which exceeds the amount they will gain in revenue through expanded coverage. A net loss of $1 billion is predicted for Kentucky hospitals by 2020. Again: This is occurring in a state that has fully embraced
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HUMAN DNA CONTAINS TRACES OF PAST TRAUMA, FAMINE, MENTAL ILLNESS
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cientists at the University of Cambridge were surprised to discover that as much as 5% of human DNA may carry effects from past generations - and to be passed to future generations. While most of the human gnome is “reset” when a new egg is fertilized, some of the genes are resistant to “reprogramming” and may pass information effecting future generations. [READ MORE]
SHOCKER: NOAA FIDDLES WITH CLIMATE DATA TO ERASE 15YEAR GLOBAL WARMING HALT
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ecause they couldn’t explain the lack of warming during the same period 25% of all the “greenhouse” gases ever released were released and because they desperately wanted to keep the grants and climate change charade going, scientists simply “adjusted” the hiatus out of the temperature record. But that’s not all NOAA did to increase the warming www.underwritersinsider.com
trend in recent decades. Climate expert Bob Tisdale and meteorologist Anthony Watts noted that to “manufacture warming during the hiatus, NOAA adjusted the pre-hiatus data downward.” [READ MORE]
TO PROVE THEY HAVE MORE TO DO THEN LOSE SYRIA, IRAQ, LIBYA & YEMEN, FEDS SET OUT TO NAB BUZZED DRIVERS
U.K.’S POSSIBLE EXIT FROM E.U. HUGE RISK AND UNCERTAINTY FOR INSURANCE INDUSTRY
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nd the uncertainty is compounded by the additional risk of Scotland voting to become independent. Without Scotland, the U.K. would be dissolved. According to Reuters, “In the UK, the real political uncertainty for our sector comes from the dual and interconnected ccording to a report possibility that the UK could in the Washington leave the EU and that the UK Post, “A technological could dissolve if Scotland voted breakthrough that could to become independent.” virtually eliminate the drunken driving that kills 10,000 Americans each year was announced Thursday by ALLSTATE WILL federal officials, who said it could begin appearing in OFFER INSURANCE cars in five years. The new FOR RIDE-SHARING equipment won’t require a APP DRIVERS driver to blow into a tube, like the interlock devices some rivers participating as states require after drunkenUber or Lyft drivers - using driving convictions. Instead, their personal vehicles to either a passive set of breath pick up and drop off paying fares sensors or touch-sensitive will now have another option contact points on a starter for insurance. Allstate will begin button or gear shift would adding coverage for the service immediately register the level as an endorsement for “$15-20” of alcohol in the bloodstream. per year in Colorado, Illinois, Drivers who registered above Texas and Virginia starting in the legal limit wouldn’t be 2015. The issue of ride-sharing able to start the car.” [READ insurance has been a contentious MORE] one. [READ MORE].
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CALIFORNIA INSURANCE COMMISSIONER APPOINTS NEW “TOP COP” TO LAW ENFORCEMENT BRANCH
Mueller also served as a captain, lieutenant, supervising investigator and various other roles in the district attorney's office. He has "I'm pleased to extensive experience welcome George o v e r s e e i n g Mueller to the complex criminal d e p a r t m e n t ," investigations said Insurance with emphasis in Commissioner Dave combating insurance Jones. "Chief Mueller and health care brings a wealth of fraud, workers' law enforcement compensation fraud, ACRAMENTO, Calif. leadership experience elder abuse and Insurance Commissioner and expertise other high impact George Mueller, Dave Jones announced that will benefit New Deputy Commissioner crimes. today that he is appointing George (Photo: Sacramento our enforcement Mueller as Deputy Commissioner Business Journal) branch, the entire Mueller graduated of the Enforcement Branch of the department and the people of with honors from the University of California Department of Insurance California." Southern California with a bachelor's (CDI). Mueller will lead the degree in public administration department's law enforcement and A sworn peace officer, Mueller and earned his master's in public criminal investigative comes to the administration with a specialization functions. The department from the in judicial administration from the enforcement Los Angeles County same university. branch is the largest District Attorney's component of Office where he most Mueller is also a graduate of the the Department recently served as FBI national academy and the of Insurance and assistant chief of the Senior Management Institute for consists of 400 Bureau of Investigation. Police. He has been a featured professionals, Mueller has served in instructor and speaker at numerous including over law enforcement since law enforcement conferences, 200 sworn peace 1985 where he began including the FBI national academy officers, who his law enforcement conference and the International investigate various career working for the Summit on Human Trafficking California Insurance insurance crimes, Commissioner City of Alhambra Police in Ottawa, Canada. Mueller has including workers' Dave Jones Department as a police also made presentations to compensation, auto, officer and then detective. representatives from Hong Kong homeowner, health, life, annuity, Appointed assistant chief by the Los and the Philippines and to the office and disability insurance fraud and Angeles District Attorney in 2009, of the attorney general in Thailand. crimes committed by insurance
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER APPOINTS NEW LEADER OF DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE LAW ENFORCEMENT BRANCH
agents and brokers and those pretending to be agents and brokers.
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FORMER OHIO AGENT SENTENCED FOR INSURANCE FRAUD AND THEFT
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OLUMBUS — Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor announced today that former McConnelsville, Ohio insurance agent James Brent Whitehouse was sentenced in the Morgan County Court of Common Pleas to 90 days in jail with workrelease conditions, five years of community control, 200 hours of community service and ordered to pay $838.09 in restitution to former clients. Whitehouse pleaded guilty to insurance fraud and theft earlier this year. www.underwritersinsider.com
“Those who commit s u b m i t t e d fraud are harming all documentation for Ohioans by driving up false losses related the cost of insurance,” to an approximately said Taylor, also Director $48,000 barn of the Ohio Department fire claim. of Insurance, which Whitehouse also led the investigation. misappropriated “The Department of $14,000 in client Insurance will continue premium funds. The Lt. Governor to pursue action funds were returned Mary Taylor against those that and his clients did not choose to break insurance laws go without insurance coverage. in Ohio.” Whitehouse’s insurance agent In separate incidents, the license was revoked by the Department found Whitehouse Department in February 2014.
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LOS ANGELES FATHER-DAUGHTER SCAM TEAM BUSTED FOR FELONY INSURANCE FRAUD INVESTIGATORS SEARCHING FOR DRIVER INVOLVED IN STAGED AUTO ACCIDENT
medical bills. Her father, Tony Bimbo, negotiated a claim on his daughter's behalf and she received an $18,000 settlement.
Evidence uncovered by detectives revealed that Riste's medical bills were never OS ANGELES, Calif. paid. In the course of the Tony Bimbo investigation, it was aka Anthony also discovered that Riste, 45, and Brandy although Vlado, Riste, 22, both of Los Bimbo and Riste Angeles, were arrested denied knowing on two felony counts each other, they of insurance fraud communicated by after they allegedly phone extensively conspired with Bobby before and after the Vlado, 40, to defraud Tony Bimbo aka accident. Alliance United Anthony Riste, 45 Insurance Company "This case serves out of nearly $18,000. as a reminder that Investigators are still fraud is a costly searching for Vlado. crime for insurers and consumers," In October 2013, said Insurance Bobby Vlado reported Commissioner to his insurer that Dave Jones." These he accidentally crimes are an struck a pedestrian, expensive drain on Brandy Riste, 22 Brandy Riste, at a the state's economy busy intersection totaling billions annually. The in Los Angeles because he cost of these scams is passed was distracted while using along to consumers through his mobile phone. Riste higher rates and premiums." visited the emergency room twice following the accident Bimbo was booked into the incurring over $11,000 in Inmate Reception Center and
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Riste was booked into the Century Regional Detention Center. Bimbo and Riste both posted bail and will appear in court on June 1. The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office is prosecuting this case. If you have any information about Bobby Vlado please contact Detective Dan Shoham at (661) 253-7405.
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FLORIDA ANNOUNCES DOZENS MORE ARRESTS MADE DURING OPERATION FLAMES AND FLOODS II
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IAMI, Fla. – CFO and “I am proud of the work of our State Fire Marshal investigators, and I am grateful Jeff Atwater, for the support of the Miamialongside Miami-Dade State Dade Police Department’s Arson Unit and Attorney Katherine Miami-Dade Fernandez Rundle, County State today announced Attorney Katherine 30 more arrests Fernandez Rundle made during the for helping us second wave of a to hold these collaborative state individuals and local operation accountable.” known as “Operation Flames and Floods.” "These insurance The investigation thieves were exposed an Florida CFO and State their extensive scheme Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater making money by reaching in which a Miami public adjuster named into the wallets of every honest Jorge Espinosa recruited citizen of Florida", said Miamihomeowners to stage fire Dade State Attorney Katherine Rundle. "Their and water damage claims in Fernandez residential homes in order to profits come from our pain and defraud multiple insurance hard work. That is why these companies. Previously arrests are so important." arrested in February 2014 for crimes related to this fraud Operation Flames and Floods ring, investigators have since began in November 2012 as uncovered 25 more fraudulent a joint investigation between claims tied to Espinosa, the Florida State Fire Marshal’s representing total losses of Office and the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Arson Unit. more than $14 million. In February 2014, 14 people “It is clear that this scheme were arrested after 13 homes was driven by greed, and were intentionally set on fire unfortunately, it is the honest and five more reported staged policyholders in our state who water damage. As a result of are left on the hook to cover the fraud, multiple insurance the millions of dollars that were carriers incurred more than $7.6 million in reported losses. stolen,” said CFO Jeff Atwater. www.underwritersinsider.com
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Further investigative efforts uncovered 25 more claims tied to this fraud scheme, representing an additional $6.7 million in fraudulent claims paid by the following insurance companies: Tower Hill Insurance Group, Citizens Property Insurance, Federated National Insurance Company, GEICO, Bankers Insurance Group, Southern Fidelity, Mercury Insurance, State Farm, Florida Peninsula, Ascendant Commercial Insurance, United Property and Casualty, Ark Royal Insurance and Southern Oak Insurance. “We applaud the efforts of CFO Atwater’s office and the MiamiDade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, and we are glad to have played a part in this investigation,” said Joseph Theobold, Citizens Director of Special Investigations. “Insurance fraud translates into millions of dollars in costs paid by our policyholders. We must remain diligent in rooting out fraud.” The Sarasota, Lee, Collier and Highlands County Sheriffs’ Offices assisted with this week’s arrests, along with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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SUVs and a parts-supplier Delphi Automotive unnamed vehicle.
Breaking News
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ovamar Insurance Group, Inc. has expanded its proprietary “Novamar Offshore” Yacht Insurance Program. Yacht owners can now insure their vessels while cruising locally or around the world with an “A + rated” U.S. insurance company at reasonable premiums. The Novamar Offshore Program is sold direct to yacht owners and through partner insurance brokers. Novamar Insurance Group, Inc. is a major U.S. and International Marine Insurance & General Lines Agent & Broker founded in 1987 with offices in Seattle, Newport Beach, Sarasota, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Craig Chamberlain, President of the Novamar U.S. and Mexico companies, says “key Novamar staff members have worked closely together for over a decade creating proprietary 22
insurance programs to better serve the yachting community.
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ccording to a May AP report, there has been 4 recent, minor accidents involving self-driving cars in California out of a fleet of 50 such vehicles. Only two of the vehicles were in selfdriving mode at the time of the accident, neither accident was deemed to be the fault of the autonomous vehicle and the incidents occurred at speeds less than 10mph. The accidents involved 3 Google Lexus
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ccording to one national news organization, “Hillary Clinton’s state department gave near-blanket approval to at least 330 requests for Bill Clinton’s appearance at speeches, dinners and events — more than 220 paid events earning the family nearly $50 million.” And that fab sum is on top of her pension, Bill’s pension and her college lecture circuit where she routinely charges the schools as much as $300,000 per speech while actually blabbing on and on about he high cost of tuition during the speech!
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According to CBSs news, “When officials asked for a price reduction on behalf of the public university, [University of California] Clinton’s representatives didn’t budge, saying $300,000 was already the ‘special university rate.’” Does Hillary’s contrived “everywoman” campaign persona seem a little out of place here? Here’s another Hillary mystery: What could this failed Secretary of State with a dozen scandals pulling at her pants suit possible have to say to these graduates that would be worth $300K? You can’t make this stuff up folks.
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PIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property & casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today it has acquired Sorci Insurance Brokerage, Inc., a specialist in providing comprehensive Workers’ Compensation Insurance services to New Car Auto Dealers in California.
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he Homeowners Consumer Center is urging homeowners in New York or New Jersey to call www.underwritersinsider.com
them anytime at 866-7146466 if they received a less than adequate settlement from their homeowners insurance company for severe storm or fire damage to their home, with the only proviso the damage and settlement has to have occurred within the last two years. The Center believes there are thousands of homeowners in New Jersey, and New York in this situation and this is an attempt to help them provided they have documentation to support their claim of insurance underpayment.
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ortera, Inc., the foremost provider of business-to-business analytics and cloud-based risk management solutions, is pleased to announce two new releases of eCredit®, the award-winning credit scoring and collections automation platform. These two releases continue the tradition of providing forwardthinking, customer-driven enhancements to keep eCredit at the forefront for credit and collections software. Cortera is privately held with offices in Boca
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Raton, FL and Quincy, MA.
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n a story by Jayleen Heft in Property Casualty 360, she listed the 10 best states in which to do business based on taxes and regulations, quality of the workforce and the living invironment. From the 10th best to first place: 10th: S. Carolina 9th: Arizona 8th: Nevada 7th: Louisiana 6th: Indiana 5th: Georgia 4th: Tennessee 3rd: N. Carolina 2nd: Florida 1st: Texas.
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ccording to Marijuana Business Daily, “Lloyd’s of London, the UK-based insurance marketplace, has instructed underwriters not to open or renew existing accounts with marijuana companies in the United States until it’s legal at the federal level, leaving potentially thousands of cannabis business owners seeking new insurers for their crops, buildings and inventory. “Any policies of this type that are currently in force should not be renewed and no new business should be written,” according to a memo from Tom Bolt, the director of performance management at Lloyd’s. “ 23
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harm results from “everyday activities gone slightly, but not surprisingly, awry,” a reasonable insured would not necessarily understand the substance to and non-polluting uses. The be a pollutant. Exposure of Supreme Court used the following decomposing septage to the definition of contaminant: “to Preislers’ water supply is not an make impure or unclean by everyday activity gone slightly, contact or mixture.” quoting from but not surprisingly, awry. the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 406 (3d Septage fits the ordinary meaning ed.1992). of waste, which the policies expressly list as a pollutant, and Determining whether a substance supports the conclusion that is a contaminant and therefore septage is a pollutant when a pollutant, the focus is on the it seeps into a water supply. event causing harm because Septage is primarily composed that is the occurrence triggering of human urine and feces. coverage. Here, the event Therefore, decomposing septage causing harm is decomposing is a pollutant when it seeps into a septage seeping into the water water supply. supply. A reasonable insured would understand decomposing septage to be a contaminant when it seeps into a water supply.
ZALMA
I n d i v i d u a l components of septage are common. Septage is a waste product with use as a farm fertilizer. Application of septage comes with risks to water supplies because decomposing septage can release high levels of nitrates, which can be dangerous to humans and cattle if they reach water supplies. A second limiting principle is that if the 24
The policies’ use of “contaminant” in defining “pollutant” should have been clear notice to the Kuettels that their policies would not cover claims involving decomposing septage’s seepage
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into water supplies. The key terms of the policies are unambiguous. The Supreme Court concluded that a reasonable insured would understand that decomposing septage is a “contaminant” and therefore, a “pollutant” as defined in the policies when it has decomposed and seeps into a water supply.
ZALMA OPINION To the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and to insurers across the country, human feces and urine fit clearly within the definition of contaminant and pollutant sufficient to allow an insurer to refuse defense and indemnity under the pollution exclusion. Although not a pollutant when properly handled and treated septage, when applied to the soil and allowed to decompose and cause nitrates to enter a water supply, it becomes a pollutant. When dealing with a pollution exclusion it is important that the insurer, and courts interpreting the decision of an insurer to refuse defense and indemnity, it is important to go through the analysis by determining whether the material is a contaminant and that the contaminant that pollutes a water supply or otherwise causes damage. The Underwriter’s Insider
“GLOBAL WARMING” CLIMATE PREDICTIONS EMBARRASSINGLY WRONG FOR REALITY DENIERS... THE RED LINE IN THE GRAPH BELOW REPRESENTS THE 5-YEAR RUNNING AVERAGE TEMPERATURE CHANGE FORECAST PREDICTED BY THE UN’S POLITICALLY MOTIVATED FORECASTS - THE BLUE/GREEN SQUARES REPRESENT ACTUAL OBSERVED TEMPERATURES. [MORE HERE]
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“The Final Authority on Everything!” Something To Reflect On...
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ow can I be certain my right and left-side auto mirrors are adjusted properly? My husband and I argue constantly about this. He says that the mirrors should be adjusted out real wide but I want them in closer where I can see along the side of my car. If I can’t see the side of the car, I can’t figure out what I’m looking at anyway. – N.B. Baton Rouge, LA We checked with Poncho Vam-Vito, former GT racing great and a member of our automotive staff: “Well, N.B. may not want to hear this, but her husband is most likely correct. The purpose of the outside mirrors is to see that relatively small area between where your view ends in the rear view mirror and what you can see glancing out your side windows. It’s called your ‘blind spot’ and you have one on each side of the vehicle. Best way to adjust? For your right mirror, do the www.underwritersinsider.com
ADVISOR
following: In any parking lot, pull slowly about 5 feet to the left of a parked vehicle until the parked vehicle disappears from view out your right side window. (The idea is to position the other car as if it was in an adjacent lane.) Now stop. You probably cannot see the vehicle in your rear view mirror at this point either, because it is in your blind spot. Now adjust your right-side mirror so that you have the other vehicle clearly in view. Don’t be surprised if you have to adjust your mirror almost all the way out in order to do so. For your
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left mirror, do the same with a parked vehicle on your left. Note that the adjustment is sensitive to seat position and you and your husband may have to readjust the mirrors each time you drive the vehicle if you are sharing one car. In a random sample, more than 90% of all vehicles were found to have the mirrors adjusted improperly – almost always too far in where they missed the blind spot altogether! Incidentally, you don’t ordinarily have to keep track of the side of your own car. It will usually follow you home.
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Registered Customer Service Rep 4-40 Palm Beach County
Experienced Registered Cus-
FREE CLASSIFIED RULES: Submit all ads online at: www.underwritersinsider. tomer Service Representative com/classifieds. Ads must be less than 501 characters plus a title line. Eligible free classifieds include help wanted, position wanted, personal ads, agency for sale/purchase, or the one-time sale of an item or items. Place Ad HERE!
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Submit all ads online at: www. underwritersinsider.com/classifieds. Only $1.00 per word, including title line and response info. Payment must be received prior to print date. Ads run 3 mo.
Property Underwriting Manager Monmouth County NJ Our client is seeking to hire a Property Underwriting Manager. 10+ years of current underwriting experience; excess and surplus experience preferred. For more information contact: Lloyd Kushner 800-797-1412 or send your resume in complete confidence to lloyd@yoursearchfirm. com 15-2
Florida Agents with 2-20 License for Palm Harbor Want to work in an exciting work place? Looking for a career and not just a job! We pay higher commissions then the standard industry offers. We are expanding our independent Property and Casualty Insurance agency in Palm Harbor, FL and currently seeking highly motivated professional people who hold a Florida 2-20 insurance license to join our sales team. Contact: gary.s@insurancesolutionstb.com
Premium Finance Sales Rep California
Insurance Premium Finance company is seeking an Account Sales Rep to cover our California territory. The ideal candidate will have experience in insurance industry and/or knowledge of insurance premium financing. Travel throughout the state of California required. All eligible candidates will be subject to a background search. Send resume to opportunities@financebulldog. com 15-2
CSR WANTED Deerfield Beach, FL Established office seeking 440/220 licensed CSR. Family owned business that treats employees as family. Work for a successful office. fax resume 954/427-9065 15-6
15-3
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Property and Casualty Agents Wanted Looking for self motivated agents in the state of FL. Contact:info@insurebenefits.com
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4-40 Wanted Bilingual English / Spanish with experience, to work in Lake Worth, Palm Beach, excellent working conditions requested. Angel 561-755-2586. 15-4
Personal Lines Producer Destin, FL Area Wanting an experienced self motivated producer for this high end area. Don@mcmahonhadder.com 15-3
Entrepreneurial Underwriter
Entrepreneurial, qualityfocused, P & C underwriter and marketing person seeks part time or full time employment. I bring knowledge, team spirit and enthusiasm to the job. I can work from my office in Cocoa or your office in the Orlando area. Contact cee42@aol.com 15-3
Experienced Personal lines CSR Wanted St. Pete FL Looking for a self motivated, ambitious inside sales account rep, 2-20 lic., may consider 4-40 for full or part time, duties include quoting and servicing accounts and account rounding for Business owners, Workers Comp, General Liability and other lines of business Established agency since 1958 Contact: rbozeman@bozemaninsurance.com 15-4 The Underwriter’s Insider
220 Needed for Outside Sales!!
Experienced Commercial Agent Boca Raton, FL Area
Experienced and Licensed Insurance CSR
Local South Broward county ins office needs an outside licensed producer. Can work from home and office. Must have experience writing comm lines policies. Very high compensation package. Send resume and cover letter today! florida.firstins@yahoo.com
We are a family owned and operated General Lines Agency located in Boca Raton since 2002 looking for an experienced Commercial Producer. We have access to ALL commercial standard and excess surplus markets at the MOST competitive premiums. You: local success experience, a self starter and ethical. Flexible commission splits, start up assistance, long term minded. 561-305-9599.
Large, independent property and casualty insurance agency located in Lake Mary, Florida is seeking 220, 2044 or 440 licensed and experienced customer service representatives. We represent over 40 insurance carriers. Great written and verbal communication skills are required.
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LICENSED 220 WANTED-FLORIDA INDEPENDENT LEAD GENERATOR FACE TO FACE OR PHONE CONTACT-COMMERCIAL & PERSONAL LINES-COMMISSION ONLY POSITION-50% NEW BUSINESS,25% RENEWALS-MUST HAVE OWN E&O COVERAGE-SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY. APPLEINSURANCE@MSN.COM 15-2
Experienced CSR Wanted - Louisville Kentucky Insurer specializing in personal jewelry coverage seeks CSR. Job includes processing applications, giving quotes & issuing policies. Must have agency CSR experience, good phone presence, and hold an Ins Property license. You should also have an interest in jewelry. Computer keyboarding skills & working knowledge of MS Office are crucial factors. Agency Management systems experience is a plus. 15-2 www.underwritersinsider.com
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EXPERIENCED AUTO INSURANCE AGENT EXPERIENCED AUTO SALES PROPERTY AND CASUALTY 220 AGENT SEEKING PROFESSIONAL AGENCY WHO APPRECIATES A WELLROUNDED SALES AGENT WHO IS EXCELLENT IN SALES AND VERY METICULOUS WITH RECORDING MEMOS AND HANDLING PAPERWORK. MUST HAVE A WARM AND FRIENDLY ATTITUDE AND BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLIENTS NEEDS. 15-2
$30k salary plus monthly bonus and excellent benefits. Check us out at www. TheFIS.com 15-3
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Purchase Retiring Agency (or merge) South Florida Purchase (or merge) a retiring agent’s or agency’s book of business in Palm Beach, Broward or possibly MiamiDade County. We prefer Homeowner and Commercial accounts. We have MOST Standard contracts. Must have demographics and performance history for last 5 years+. Flexible terms offered, possible partnership as well. Call 561-305-9599. CONFIDENTIAL 15-6
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2-20 or 20-44 Wanted-Miramar FL Send resume to timinsurance1@yahoo.com, fax 954404-7234 or visit us 6590 Pembroke Road Suite B., Miramar, FL 33023 15-2 29
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Product Manager Experienced Insurance Agent QQSolutions, Inc. - Strong insurance agency experience? Love technology and want to shape the future of software for independent agents? Join our Product Management team. Must have extensive experience working in commercial lines. 2-20 (220) Agent or 4-40 (440) CSR License Required. Direct experience using and administering agency management systems. Contact bnason@qqsolutions.com
Florida 2-20 or 4-40 Agent Hialeah
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Small agency has an opening position for a commercial lines agent with homeowner and auto insurance knowledge in Hialeah Fl 33018 15-2
Producer/Brokers Wanted: Nationally
Cont’d... S. Florida Hialeah Area 2-20 / 4-40 Needed Opening position in small Hialeah agency for a Commercial line with personal line knowledge, fluent in English and Spanish. Send your resume to customerservice@jonrayinsurance.net 15-3
Experienced Licensed CSR Wanted Ft. Lauderdale Agency needs experienced 440 licensed CSR for renewals/ sales. Renew policies upon expiration dates; obtain information to determine coverage changes/requirements, and binding. Quote to shop renewals. Prepare/provide information to insureds using verbal and written communications. Cross-sell opportunities for auto, life, and flood. Fax resume to 561948-4582 or email to ahart@ accessaip.com. 15-3
2-20 Agents & Producers USG Insurance Services, Inc. Wanted - FL & GA is a national wholesaler and MGA seeking experienced commercial E&S Producer/ Brokers for multiple locations. Mandatory E&S insurance experience, only those with a proven track record in sales should apply that are self-motivated, team players. Find out more about the position and how to apply at www.usgins.com under Careers. 15-3 30
We Insure Group, Inc. is one of Florida’s ‘Fastest Growing Companies’ and is looking to expand even more! Currently seeking new Agency Owners in Central and North Florida, as well as, experienced Producers throughout the entire state! Please Contact: We Insure Group Franchising franchise@ weinsuregroup.com 855-483-3901 15-3
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OBAMACARE TROUBLES actually placing hospitals in financial peril. A major reason is that about three-fourths of newly insured Kentuckians are receiving coverage through Medicaid, which USA Today notes “reimburses hospitals less than it costs to treat patients.” In Kentucky, Medicaid payments cover 82 percent of the cost of treatment while Medicare covers 86 percent. Making things worse, about 20 percent of Kentuckians enrolled in Medicaid due to Obamacare previously had private health insurance. This means those patients’ previous coverage paid more of the actual cost of treatment than what they have under Obamacare.” [HERE]
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Please Mr. Obama, explain how your Obama’sCare is a good deal for US(A) Americans. We are hanging on your every word. Well, we are hanging, that’s for certain! And the noose around our necks hurts like Hell, Sir! Yet that isn’t enough! We also have to contend with this, Mr. Obama Sir. From FrontPageMag: “ObamaCare Might Just Wipe Out New York City’s Public Hospitals…. Like Ebola or disco, ObamaCare is the gift that just keeps on giving. It’s an incredible success story that isn’t just wrecking havoc across the lives of middle class people who had health insurance before ObamaCare wrecked theirs, it’s also trashing socialized medicine everywhere. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, aka ObamaCare, Uncle Sam will cut more than $800 million in payments to the city’s Health and Hospitals Corp, by Fiscal
Year 2019. The president’s signature law slashes federal payments that long helped out hospitals serving lots of patients who lack insurance. The idea was that the law would boost coverage so dramatically the aid would be unnecessary. Except that illegal immigrants don’t qualify for ObamaCare coverage — and they make up a big chunk of the city’s uninsured population… ObamaCare. It really, really works (at destroying things).” [HERE] We wish that were all of the horrors coming out to smash US(A) in the face, Mr. Obama, Sir, but there are more. You remember that FATCA tax you secretly passed into law, that one that taxes Americans who hold duel citizenship with Canada and elsewhere, Sir? This article appeared in the Yahoo Canada News: “Americans in Canada racing to give up passports”. Not their Canadian Passports, their AMERICAN Passports! More from this article: “In every U.S. election, there are always threats by Americans that they’ll flee to Canada if the candidate they hate wins. Those threats rarely come to anything.
VIEW THE FAMOUS OBAMA WORKOUT! (Now Banned On YouTube...)
But thanks to a 2014 intergovernmental agreement committing Canada to provide
See ObamaCare Troubles Page 40 www.underwritersinsider.com
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very best vehicle the liberals have ever found to advance their anti-corporate, anti-capitalist, anti-western, anti-American, wealthtransference agenda. C’mon folks, the climate has been constantly changing for the entire 4 billion years since this planet has formed. In the Notable Quotes You May Have Missed! past 100,000 years alone, there have been five frigid “ice ages” with glaciers covering North Concentrated political America as far down as Chicago that ended during sometimes dramatic periods of global authority is the goal. Global warming. There were no silly liberals around warming is the hook. to wring their hands - and neither man nor his It’s a well-kept secret, but 95 percent output of CO2 had anything to do with any of it. Even if the global temperature changes of the climate models significantly and the sea levels rise and we are told prove the link certain areas become inhospitalable, between human CO2 don’t fret. It will happen over generations emissions and catastrophic and mankind will do what it has always global warming have been done so well: Adopt. Wasting productivity found, after nearly two and trillions of dollars in a vain attempt decades of temperature to halt climate change while slowing stasis, to be in error. This is civilization’s forward progress is simply not about facts or logic. It’s foolish. The liberals never are able to about a new world order foresee the unintended consequences under the control of the U.N. of their policies, e.g., the Brazilian rain It is opposed to capitalism Maurice Newman forest is currently being devastated and and freedom and has made environmental catastrophism a household causing the release of more CO2 than any topic to achieve its objective. After all, they other single activity. Guess why? So the space have captured the U.N. and are extremely can be used to raise corn to manufacture lowwell-funded. They have a hugely powerful energy ethanal to supplement or replace those ally in the White House, and they will keep evil fossil fuels so to reduce CO2 emissions. Go mobilizing public opinion using fear and figure.
SAY WHAT?
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appeals to morality.”
Austrailian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s top business adviser, Maurice Newman said the real agenda behind the climate change charade is “concentrated political authority. Global warming is the hook.” Finally a top government official brave enough to show the lie of “eco-disaster” for what it is: Global warming (now Climate Change) is simply the 32
Still not proud of her country...
“
We’ve both felt the sting of those daily slights throughout our entire lives — the folks who crossed the street in fear of their safety; the clerks who kept a close eye on us in all those department stores; the people at formal events who assumed we were the ‘help’ — and those who have questioned
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our intelligence, our honesty, even our love of this country. And I know that these little indignities are obviously nothing compared to what folks across the country are dealing with every single day — those nagging worries that you’re going to get stopped or pulled over for absolutely no reason; the fear that your job application will be overlooked because of the way your name sounds; the agony of sending your kids to schools that may no longer be separate, but are far from equal; the realization that no matter how far you rise in life, how hard you work to be a good person, a good parent, a good citizen — for some folks, it will never be enough.” Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama, never missing an opportunity to open old racial wounds while diminishing her country. In seems somewhat incredible after millions of white folks helped elect her husband to two terms as president that Mrs. Obama’s main focus while speaking to the primarily African-American Tuskegee University student body would not be one of encouragment; where anyone of any color can win the highest office in the world; where with hard-work and diligent effort anyone can succeed in a country that has epitimized opportunity for people worldwide. Rather, she choose to scrape up the dregs of the American experience and offer a message of bitter discouragment. You would think, at least, after the taxpayers have paid tens of $ millions for her vacations over the past 6 years, she could find something kind to say about America. It is not a coincidence, under the Obama Administration, race relations in this country have not been worse since the 1960s. www.underwritersinsider.com
And now, for a startling contrast, a Conservative point of view...
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When self-sufficiency is encouraged, you get more of it; when it is ignored or discouraged, you get less. Attacks on “the rich” have done nothing to improve the lives of the poor. If politicians were sincere about helping people escape their bad circumstances, they would flood neighborhoods with people who tell stories about how they escaped similar circumstances by refusing to accept a life of poverty. Inspiration is the starting point for improving lives. If one hears only about racism and injustice, nothing is gained, but if one hears about alternative paths to a productive life, painful history does not have to repeat itself. As the song says, “It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish.” Former Congressman Allen West, who grew up Black in the same country as Michelle, with a real positive message of hope and encouragement. He knows what the problem is: “Every single major urban center in America is run by Democrats -more specifically, liberal Progressives, black or white. It is undeniable that it is liberal policies that have failed -- from anti-poverty programs, to dysfunctional Congressman Allen West schools from which they refuse to let the poor escape because of the political donations they receive from teachers’ unions.” It’s not racism, Michelle. It’s failed liberal policies. The solution is not bigger government. It’s a better message.
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MUSLIM LAW STUDENT COMPLAINS MODERATE MUSLIMS ABSENT AT BENGHAZI PANEL - BRIDGETTE GABRIEL RESPONDS WITH EPIC SHUTDOWN: “MODERATE MUSLIMS ARE IRREVELENT” TO THE PROBLEM OF RADICAL ISLAM
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QQ SOLUTIONS GROWING
MIAMI LAKES INSURANCE AGENT ARRESTED FOR DEFRAUDING CONSUMER
M
IAMI, Fla. – The Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of Insurance Fraud arrested Giselle Avila, About QQSolutions: today vice president of The Valenti Group Insurance, Inc. in Named one of the "25 Miami, for insurance fraud Fastest-Growing Technology after she knowingly misled a Companies" in South Florida consumer in order to obtain by the South Florida Business a higher commission payout. Journal, QQ Solutions is a Investigators also determined software-as-a-service (SaaS) that Avila prepared and issued a company that provides featurefictitious notice of reinstatement rich, affordable solutions that for the consumer’s homeowner help independent insurance insurance policy in an attempt to agencies grow revenues, conceal that it had been canceled. enhance productivity and operate more efficiently. An investigation conducted For more than 27 years the in coordination with the company’s mission is to Department’s Division of Agent help independent insurance and Agency Services revealed agencies compete in the digital Avila, a licensed insurance agent, world by leveraging the latest quoted a homeowner insurance technologies, social media, policy premium price with digital marketing and real-time inflated discounts to make the services. premium appear desirable. Avila assured the consumer that the To learn more about QQ quoted price included a discount Solutions products, please call for a completed wind mitigation the company at 1.800.940.6600 inspection. However, Avila failed or visit the QQ Solutions to forward the wind mitigation documents to the insurance company and when confronted FREE by the consumer, she provided inaccurate documentation to CLASSIFIEDS! cover her misdeeds. HELP WANTED — POSITION WANTED 4 — SALE ITEMS
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consumer received notification that her premium price increased. Avila continued to mislead the consumer by convincing her that she did not need to pay the increased price, which ultimately led to policy cancellation for nonpayment. Concerned about the cancellation notice she received, the consumer immediately contacted Avila, who continued her lies by stating the cancellation was a clerical error by the insurance company. To continue her cover-up, Avila gave the consumer a falsified notice of reinstatement. However, after growing suspicious, the consumer contacted the insurance carrier directly and learned that the
See Miami Agent Arrested Pg 40
As a result, the premium discount was never applied and the
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Experts and Consultants for Insurance Disputes 4441 Sepulveda Boulevard Culver City, California 90230 310-390-4455 zalma@zalma.com http://www.zalma.com
Consultation from Zalma Insurance Consultants (ZIC) can save you or your client thousands of dollars in the defense or prosecution of an insurance dispute. ZIC provides expert advice and counsel insurers and plaintiffs’ counsel find indispensable. Consultation from ZIC can save you, your counsel or client hundreds of hours of investigative and legal work. ZALMA INSURANCE CONSULTANTS is a service of Barry Zalma, Inc. a California professional corporation. Barry Zalma is an internationally recognized expert on insurance coverage, insurance claims handling, insurance bad faith, insurance fraud detection, the defeat of false and fraudulent claims, Barry Zalma, Esq. insurance claims handling, and the resolution of insurance disputes. As a consultant, expert witness, lawyer, author, mediator or arbitrator he serves all parties who need consultation or expert testimony on matters relating to insurance coverage, insurance claims handling, insurance fraud and the tort of bad faith. Barry Zalma founded Zalma Insurance Consultants to help resolve any insurance claim problem faced by you or your clients that do not need Mr. Zalma’s services as a lawyer. His experience and skill as a consultant and expert witness can make the difference before a jury or other trier of fact. For more than 44 years as a claims person and insurance coverage attorney, Barry Zalma has represented insurers, advised insurers on claims handling, interpreted coverages and testified as an insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, insurance claims handling and insurance fraud expert on behalf of insurers and policyholders in state and federal courts.
Expert Testimony
Zalma Insurance Consultants serves insurers, policyholders, underwriters, brokers, agents, adjusters, public insurance adjusters, lawyers and any person involved in an insurance dispute. Because he is an attorney licensed to practice law in the state of California M r. Zalma may be prohibited by California case law from acting as a consultant or expert witness and, therefore, refuses to serve in any situation where a past client of his law firm, Barry Zalma, Inc. is adverse to anyone seeking his services.
Y ou can obtain M r. Zalma’s C.V . at http://www.zalma.com and his e-book publications http://www.zalma.com/zalmabooks.htm and blogs daily at Zalma on Insurance, http://zalma.com/blog.
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KIM KOMANDO
Slay those vampire electronics Once you’ve identified your biggest vampires, it’s time to put a stake to them. You have a few options, ranging from cheap and inconvenient, to convenient and expensive. You’ll need to decide which one works for you. You might even mix and match. 1. Unplug The simplest thing to do is unplug gadgets when they aren’t in use. This works well for phone and tablet chargers, but it’s much less convenient to pull the plug on your TV, audio and home theater equipment. Here’s where number 2 is helpful. 2. Power Strips and Switches If you have several gadgets plugged into a power strip, it becomes a matter of flipping the power strip’s switch to turn them all off at once. Keep in mind that there are things you don’t want to power off. For example, cutting power to a TV is fine, but a cable box takes longer to reconnect after it’s been off. Cutting power to a computer or printer is OK, but not the power to a router or cable modem that’s connecting gadgets and people in other rooms to the Internet. Some power strips have “alwayswww.underwritersinsider.com
on” connectors. Using them, you can choose what gets turned off. I like the power strips with builtin energy meters that also show how much you’re saving. Click here to see an example of this kind of power strip in my shop.
You can also go beyond Windows’ built-in power settings with programs that let you shut down a computer on a schedule. Click here for some of my favorite options for PC and Mac. 5. Upgrade
You can also buy less expensive individual switches that plug into a single socket. You can flip the switch to more easily shut off something like a charger. Some can also be triggered by remote or smartphone app if you want to put them behind a cabinet or desk.
This is a longer-term strategy, but it might be time to upgrade your electronics. Newer computers have much more energy efficient power supplies, for example. A newer fridge might use less electricity. LED light bulbs can definitely save you money over time.
3. Timers You’ll definitely spend more money Perhaps you want gadgets to come up front, but for items you keep on or turn off on a set schedule. for five, ten or twenty years, the That’s when you should grab a savings work out. timer. It plugs in the wall and your gadget plugs into it. If you want to learn more about energy efficient products, or Timers can range from cheap $10 upgrades for your home that can analog timers to $50 digital timers save you money, check out the that include a usage meters, like Department of Energy’s Energy this one in my shop. Saver site. It covers topics ranging from buying small electronics and 4. Power Settings air conditioning to the savings of solar water heaters and insulation. When it comes to saving power with computers, you rarely want to actually unplug them. It’s just too Copyright 2015, WestStar Multimedia much work on a daily basis to plug Entertainment. All rights reserved. it back in and wait for it to boot. On the Kim Komando Show, the Instead, you can use the PC’s sleep nation’s largest weekend radio talk and hibernate options that are show, Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today’s digital lifestyle, faster but still save electricity. from smartphones and tablets to Hibernate has the best energy online privacy and data hacks. For savings while sleep has the fastest her daily tips, free newsletters and startup time. Click here for a more more, visit her website at Komando. detailed breakdown of each com. Kim also posts breaking tech option, and how it might change if news 24/7 at News.Komando.com. you use Windows 8.
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available and have the requisite knowledge…” [HERE], and here: “Why Obama’s FATCA Law Is A Threat To Business Growth…Known as the FATCA (the acronym for the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), the banking information of this law was included as a Americans living here to the IRS, revenue-raising provision to there appears to be mad rush pay for one of Obama’s failed by some Americans to renounce stimulus bills. their U.S. citizenship, and stay here - forever. But while the bill didn’t create According to Global News, jobs, it has created a giant almost four times as many U.S. nightmare for all sorts of people citizens as normal dumped and firms – including foreign their citizenship in March. The financial institutions that may reason is an obscure regulation now decide that it’s no longer that forces Americans to fill worth the trouble to invest in out a Foreign Bank Account America.” [HERE] Report if they have an account abroad that totals over $10,000 Mr. Obama, Sir, now you see why in a year, according to the Wall many of us are deeply concerned Street Journal. While income about what you’ve really done earned abroad is mostly exempt to us, and why. Why Sir, did you from U.S. taxes, the penalty for create such a monster to drive not filling out the necessary America and Americans into paperwork can equal up to such economic despair, instead 50 per cent of the value of the of first and foremost TCB. We account. In 2010, the U.S. passed know you like acronyms, like FATCA, a law forcing Americans the PPACA, shortened to the abroad to turn over banking ACA, which is really the UnACA. information, and started going TCB, Sir, stands for Taking Care after people who weren’t of Business. We know that you reporting their money. [HERE] don’t really care as in less than two years you’ll be out of our Those readers who are business, but did you really have wondering more about the to leave US(A) in such a mess? FATCA tax may find some No need to answer, Sir. We helpful information here: “The don’t really expect one. Hope implications of the requirements you enjoy your next golf game. of “Obamacare” on US Expat Tax Whoever your caddy is will Return preparation and filing undoubtedly give you the score are not yet fully understood, you tell him you want. After all, however the team have been we know that you think that the fully briefed with all information rules don’t apply to you.
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MIAMI AGENT ARRESTED policy remained cancelled. While Avila gained a monetary commission, the consumer remained cheated and without insurance coverage. The company ultimately made the consumer whole by reinstating the policy and honoring the discounts that had been promised. Giselle Avila faces up to five years in prison, if convicted. Her case will be prosecuted by the office of Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. Pending disposition of the criminal case, the Department’s Division of Agent and Agency Services, which licenses insurance agents in Florida, aims to take administrative action against her insurance license. Investigators believe Avila may have scammed additional consumers. In an abundance of caution, consumers who have conducted business with Giselle Avila are encouraged to contact their insurance carrier to confirm that coverage is in place. This is especially important given the upcoming start of the 2015 hurricane season on June 1st. During this time, it is imperative that all consumers have an accurate accounting of their insurance coverage. The Underwriter’s Insider
www.underwritersinsider.com
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