Fla. Revokes Licenses of Second Husband-and-Wife Team

For the second time in a month, the Florida Department of Financial Services revoked the insurance licenses of a husband-and-wife insurance agent team.

The department announced that most recently, a Naples couple who organized a scam to sell fraudulent insurance has been put out of business. This follows earlier action revoking the licenses of a Palm Beach Gardens couple for selling worthless coverage.

After filing an administrative complaint, the department revoked Daniel Morisma’s license to sell life insurance. Morisma’s wife, Guslaine Morisma, surrendered her insurance license to the department in March.

Based on information provided by the Bureau of Investigation, department attorneys alleged that the Morismas, both from Naples, collected $325,000 in commissions from nearly 250 fraudulent life insurance applications. The department also charged the couple with willful misrepresentation of insurance policies, fraudulent business practices, misappropriation of funds and engaging in unfair or deceptive practices.

Daniel Morisma, 44, has been licensed as a life agent since 1992. Guslaine Morisma, 42, had been licensed as a life agent since 1996.

The Palm Beach Gardens couple, Fred and Claudine Magiera, left several of their clients with tens of thousands in unpaid medical bills after they were sold phony health coverage with Nevada-based Employer’s Mutual, a company not authorized to sell insurance in Florida. The department revoked the Magieras’ insurance licenses in early April.

Consumers are advised to examine insurance documents carefully. If policy documents are not received shortly after purchasing a policy, consumers should check with their agent or insurance company. In addition consumers are advised to be sure that they are dealing not only with a licensed insurance agent, but that their insurance company is also licensed in Florida. To verify that an insurance agent or company is licensed, call the department’s toll-free helpline at (800) 342-2762 or log on to www.fldfs.com.