Ohio Department Issues Order Against Agent

The Ohio Department of Insurance issued a Cease and Desist order and a Notice of Hearing to William T. Snapp, of Milford (Clermont County), ordering the agent to stop engaging in the business of insurance by soliciting and selling surety bail bonds. The hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Nov. 16, at the Ohio Department of Insurance.

Snapp, currently licensed as a property and casualty agent in Ohio, applied for a life and health agent license in March and a surety bail bond agent license in July. The Department of Insurance issued the Notice for Opportunity of Hearing to Snapp informing him of the Department’s intent to take disciplinary action against him for three counts of passing bad checks, two counts of failing to disclose these convictions on his license applications, and one count of misrepresentation.

On Oct. 11, 2001, an administrative hearing was conducted during which the Department proposed to suspend, revoke or refuse to renew Snapp’s property and casualty license and to deny his life and health agent and his surety bail bond agent license applications based on the above allegations and in front of an independent hearing officer.

The Department has alleged that within days of the hearing, Snapp, despite being fully aware that he was not licensed to do so, illegally posted a bond in a Clermont County court. Snapp is not licensed as a surety bail bond agent, and therefore, cannot legally sell surety bail bonds. The hearing officer’s report and recommendation is pending.

Under new legislation effective Oct. 9, 2001, a surety bail bond agent license is required in order to post or sell bonds in the State of Ohio. The Department alleged that on or about Oct. 22, 2001, Snapp, operating without a license, posted a bail bond for an individual at the Municipal Court in Clermont County.

Topics Agencies Ohio