CDI News

California Commissioner Issues Auto Collision Repair Regulations

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones issued new Auto Collision Repair Labor Rate Survey Regulations that he said will increase consumer protections when a damaged vehicle is repaired. The California Department of Insurance over the last several years has worked on …

California Fines Online Benefits Firm Zenefits $7M Over Unlicensed Employees

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones today levied $7 million in penalties against online benefits broker Zenefits for multiple license violations. Zenefits was charged with allowing unlicensed employees to transact insurance and circumventing insurance agent education requirements. This is the largest …

California Company’s Workers’ Comp Program Declared Illegal

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones moved to stop a central valley company from selling workers’ compensation and liability policies because they are not properly registered with the Department of Insurance. In a cease and desist order served on Monday the …

Unlicensed Agent Nabbed for Stealing More Than $140K in Premiums

Robert Meseer, 63, of Westminster, was arrested by California Department of Insurance investigators on 32 felony counts of grand theft, insurance fraud, and forgery after acting as an insurance agent to allegedly steal more than $140,000 from several business owners. …

California Commissioner Lowers Workers’ Comp Advisory Rate

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones adopted and issued a revised advisory pure premium rate, lowering the benchmark to $2.30 per $100 of payroll for workers’ compensation insurance. The change is effective July. This is a 10.5 percent reduction compared with …

Arraignment Set for Former California Agent in Decade-Long Scheme

Valerie Ann Verdugo, 38, of Bakersfield, Calif., is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on felony insurance fraud charges for obtaining insurance coverage without paying the carrier on those policies for more than a decade. Verdugo, a licensed agent, surrendered herself …

California Adjuster, Family and Friends Embezzled $250k from Insurer, CDI Says

Elizabeth Louise Brown, 48, of Canyon Country, a former claims adjuster with Explorer Insurance, was arrested this week and charged with multiple felonies, including insurance fraud and conspiracy for allegedly embezzling more than $276,000 from her employer. Another eight people …

California Insurance Agent Faces Felony Charges for Pocketing Auto Premiums

Anthony John Diaz, 35, was arraigned today in the Fresno County Superior Court in California to answer charges that he allegedly stole insurance premiums from policyholders. Diaz was arrested earlier this month by California Department of Insurance detectives and booked …

13 Indictments Handed Down in Massive Workers’ Comp Fraud Scam

An investigation into what’s being called one of the largest cases of workers’ compensation health care insurance fraud in California Department of Insurance history led to 13 indictments announced today against seven Southern California-based medical professionals. This is the second …

California Insurance Commissioner Calls for Insurance Divestment from Coal

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on Monday asked all insurance companies doing business in California to voluntarily divest from their investments in thermal coal as part of a nationwide call to reduce carbon emissions to do battle with climate change. …