Christina Bramlet of Propertycasualty360.com reports some of the most ….
Ridiculous Insurance Scams of 2012.
Orange is Definitely Your Color!
Money can’t buy you class, but it sure can buy you a nice, orange jumpsuit and reserve you a spot in county jail for committing insurance fraud.
One woman, who planned to be a star on the “Real Housewives of Orange County,” bought an abundance of purses, luxury vehicles, shoes, clothes and more with the $30 million she received after committing a workers’ compensation scam.
Buried in Canada
Zurich North America paid approximately $11 million to a man so he could buy a yacht, airplanes, and a DeLorean, all right before he faked his death and took off for Canada.
Love Triangle Burns to the Ground
A husband, wife, and her boyfriend decided to commit arson to collect a lump sum of an insurance policy. As if the bizarre trio wasn’t enough, the two men were volunteer firemen. The “firestarters” are facing a five year prison sentence, and their love interest, a possible six month sentence.
Soccer Star Kicked to the Curb
Garry O’Connor, a professional soccer player in the Scottish Hibernian Football Club, has gotten himself into quite a bit of trouble. Aside from allegations that he has an addiction to cocaine, he is now facing charges for insurance fraud after his prized (now mysteriously crashed) Ferrari has raised doubts.
PIP Claims OverHAULed
16 people in connection with an accident ring have been arrested in New York after the investigation tied together an abundance of fraudulent injuries pertaining to U-Haul trucks, totaling approximately $400,000.
The 16 thieves were able to collect the money after staging accidents given that New York has a no-fault personal protection policy in place.
Disaster Breeds Disaster
Owners of a plant nursery in Homestead, Florida took total advantage of a program put in place to financially stabilize nurseries after getting slammed by major hurricanes including Katrina, Ophelia, Rita and Wilma. The owners walked away with approximately $1 million and serious prison terms.
Workers’ Comp – 1, Raphael Davis – 0
Well-known MMA Fighter, Raphael Davis, couldn’t use his 12-2 record to gain advantage and win this fight. Davis allegedly filed fraudulent workers’ compensation claims and is now charged with four counts of insurance fraud.
Deathly Consequences
When a former trader on Wall Street could no longer keep up with his millionaire lifestyle, he decided to burn his own estate to collect the insurance settlement in hopes of better financial times. But the court ruled a guilty verdict, and instead of facing up to 21 years in prison and suffering the embarrassment, he swallowed a pill in hopes to commit suicide before ever leaving the courtroom. He tragically succeeded.
Problems with PIP
In New York City, 35 of 36 defendants, counting 10 doctors and 3 lawyers, were apprehended all in one day, as feds uncovered a five year scam with allegations of false clinics sending bills for unnecessary treatments and services never completed to auto insurance carriers.