Louisiana Agency Shut Down

The Louisiana Department of Insurance announced that Fraud Unit investigators served cease and desist and summary suspension orders to Melisa Lynne Blaisdell and Blaisdell Clarius & Associates Inc. of Alexandria, La. The department alleges that Blaisdell collected premium payments for a number of insurance companies and failed to remit the premiums to the companies. Blaisdell cooperated with the investigators’ request to examine agency records.

According to the department, after one company terminated her authority to conduct any kind of business for it, Blaisdell continued to collect money for new policies and to accept renewal premiums as an agent for that company. In another case, she allegedly remitted the collected premiums only after the insured contacted the company. Some companies are allegedly still waiting to receive thousands of dollars that customers remitted to her for payment of premiums.

Department of Insurance records show Melisa Lynne Blaisdell, has been licensed as a Property and Casualty insurance agent since 1989. She is the officer and controlling person in Blaisdell Clarius & Associates, which has been licensed as a property and casualty insurance agency since 1993 and is sometimes known as Blaisdell & Clarius Insurance Agency or Blaisdell & Clarius Insurance Services.

Consumers who purchased insurance or conducted other insurance business with Melisa Blaisdell or the Blaisdell & Clarius agency by any of the names listed here should contact their insurance company or companies right away to learn the status of their insurance. If they have trouble contacting the company or find they have paid out money that the insurance company or companies has not received, they should call the Department of Insurance, (800) 259-5300, as soon as possible. Upon request, communication with the Department of Insurance Fraud Unit may be kept confidential.