California Department of Insurance News

Former California Insurance Agent Sentenced for Stealing $220K from Clients Including Late Art Dealer

John Philip Ryan, 64, of Yucca Valley, California, was sentenced and ordered to pay more than $220,000 in restitution to victims after pleading guilty to two felony counts of financial elder abuse and grand theft of insurance premiums. An investigation …

Officials: 30 California Workers Getting $437K in from Food Company

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and California Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower on Monday announced the resolution of criminal charges filed against Golden Food Inc in a plea agreement in which the company admitted to a litany of labor violations, including …

California Family Members Arraigned in $2.1M Insurance Fraud Schemes

Four Merced, California, family members were arraigned this week for multiple counts of insurance fraud after a California Department of Insurance investigation revealed the businesses owned and operated by the residents allegedly underreported payroll by millions of dollars. The underreporting …

California Department of Insurance Orders Refunds over Bogus Mailers

An insurance company offering home warranties must refund Californians who were reportedly deceived by a misleading mailer sent to hundreds of thousands of consumers. According to an investigation by the California Department of Insurance, Response Indemnity Company of California worked …

California Department Insurance Investigation Led to Dozens Implicated in Fraud Scheme

A California Department of Insurance-led investigation with assistance from the California Department of Justice has resulted in the arraignment of 12 suspects on more than 110 felony counts including conspiracy, insurance fraud, and grand theft for their alleged involvement in …

$1.5M for California Homeowners Overcharged Under Wildfire Risk Score

Kemper Independence Insurance Co. has issued more than $1.5 million in refunds to thousands of California homeowners after the California Department of Insurance found the carrier overcharged policyholders for wildfire risk. Kemper and its affiliate insurance company, Unitrin Auto and …

YouTube Videos of Intentional Collisions Led to Arrests of California Couple

A California couple was arrested on multiple felony counts of insurance fraud over allegedly staged collisions that were posted on YouTube. Christopher Phelps, 40, of Yucaipa, and his wife, Kimberly Phelps, 40, were arrested on multiple felony counts of insurance …

California Tow Truck Driver Arraigned on 54 Counts of Insurance Fraud, Assault

Eliu Canales, 43, was arraigned this week on 54 felony counts of insurance fraud, assault with a deadly weapon and reckless driving after a joint investigation by the California Department of Insurance and San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office found …

Georgia Business Owner Sentenced in $54M California Workers’ Comp Fraud

Wesley Owens, 54, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Beau Wilson, 38, also of Atlanta, pleaded no contest to multiple felony counts of insurance fraud and conspiracy in Los Angeles Superior Court over charges filed after a California Department of Insurance investigation …

California Fines Online Health Provider $3.2M over Claims Practices

The Pill Club Holdings Inc. (dba The Pill Club) paid $3.2 million after the California Department of Insurance alleged it violated the California Insurance Frauds Prevention Act by submitting false claims to insurance companies for reimbursement for telehealth visits and …