North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Bars Fargo Agency

North Dakota’s insurance commissioner says he’s served a cease-and-desist order on a Fargo-area insurance agent accused of failing to pay taxes and mishandling premium payments.

Commissioner Adam Hamm says the order bars Robert Schmitz and his Schmitz Insurance Agency from engaging in the insurance business until further notice. The agency has offices in Fargo, Finley, Gardner, and Stephen, Minn.

Schmitz did not immediately respond to a phone message left at the agency’s Fargo office.

Hamm says in a release that Schmitz allegedly accepted payments and failed to make timely premium payments on behalf of clients, resulting in cancellation notices. Hamm says Schmitz also and issued checks with insufficient funds and faces tax liens from the IRS and state tax department.

Schmitz can request an administrative hearing within 30 days.