Lt. Governor Taylor Announces Sentencing in $21,000 Insurance Fraud Case

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COLUMBUS — Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor announced today that Cleveland resident Joel December was sentenced on July 7 in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to eight months in jail followed by three years on community control for insurance fraud.

An incarcerated December directed Asia Brown – a co-defendant in the case awaiting sentencing – to file a false claim with an insurance company claiming that multiple personal items valued at approximately $21,000 were taken from their residence.

“Insurance fraud schemes such as these affect everyone by increasing the cost of insurance,” said Taylor, also Director of the Ohio Department of Insurance. “I’m very proud of the department’s fraud division, which works tirelessly to protect consumers by bringing to justice individuals who conspire to break the law.”

Ohioans who suspect insurance fraud or professional misconduct should call the department’s fraud hotline at 800-686-1527. Insurance fraud information is available at www.insurance.ohio.gov.

Kudos to Sonya

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From the Specialty Underwriters Group – September News

Loyalty Rewards Lottery

Sonya Harris-Williams, of FAYIN Insurance, in Reynoldsburg, Ohio was the lucky winner of our August Loyalty Lottery prize. The August prize was an iPad or $300 cash and Sonya chose the cash.

Sonya is a good customer and friend of the SUG. We congratulate her on her good fortune and thank her for the business.

Fore! PIAA hits the links with NAAIA leadership

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Two members of PIAA’s staff spent a day with members of the Ohio chapter of the National African American Insurance Agents Association (NAAIA) at its golf outing last week.

NAAIA_golf_outing

NAAIA Golf Outing
Pictured left to right: Keita Marville, NAAIA president; Brad Lagusch, PIAA director of marketing; Mike Grushon, PIAA director of membership; Shenequa Chapman, NAAIA secretary; Nelson McCants, NAAIA Columbus chapter founder; and Benjamin Hall, NAAIA treasurer.

Ohioans May Now Show Electronic Proof of Insurance

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PRESS RELEASE

STATE OF OHIO
DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

3/16/2015
Ohioans May Now Show Electronic Proof of Insurance

Change is a result of Senate Bill 255

​COLUMBUS- Effective Monday, March 23, 2015, Ohio motorists will now be able to show proof of financial responsibility to traffic violations bureaus, courts, Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) and/or law enforcement through use of an electronic wireless communications device.

Electronic wireless communications devices include the following:
· Wireless telephone, including a cell phone;
· Personal digital assistants;
· Computers, including a laptops, netbooks or tablets; or
· Any other substantially similar wireless device that is designed or used to communicate and display text and images.

“Permitting motorists to use technology to show proof of financial responsibility is a common-sense step forward for Ohio,” Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor said. “This modification will save time and money benefitting consumers, law enforcement, court personnel and insurers. I commend the work of the Ohio legislature for supporting this change to the process of providing proof to better align with current market realities.” Read more

CONSUMER ALERT: Transportation Networking Companies (TNC)

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For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 16, 2014

CONSUMER ALERT: Transportation Networking Companies (TNC)
Insurance Gaps May Exist for TNC Drivers and Passengers

COLUMBUS — Ohio Lieutenant Governor and Insurance Director Mary Taylor has issued a consumer alert to highlight potential insurance implications for Ohio drivers participating in transportation networking company (TNC) services.

TNCs are companies that offer transportation services for a fee using an online method or an application (such as smart phone apps) to connect potential passengers to drivers using their personal vehicles. Read more

CONSUMER ALERT: Taylor Orders Unlicensed Ohio Company to Stop Selling Products

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For Immediate Release: Friday, April 11, 2014

CONSUMER ALERT:
Taylor Orders Unlicensed Ohio Company to Stop Selling Products Potentially Harmful to Consumers

COLUMBUS — Ohio Lieutenant Governor and Department of Insurance Director Mary Taylor has issued cease and desist orders to unlicensed insurance entity My Community Care LLC and its owner Tannile Ortiz for allegedly selling an unlawful product in the state of Ohio. The Hilliard, Ohio based entity and its owner are not authorized to engage in the business of insurance or to provide health insurance coverage in the state.

“This is a company that has not been licensed by the Department to ensure it meets financial safeguards established to protect consumers,” Taylor said. “The company depends solely on membership fees to pay claims from one month to the next and as a result, members who have received health services may be at risk of not having them paid by My Community Care.” Read more

The National Alliance Webinars: Commercial Casualty ISO Changes

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The National Alliance conducts monthly webinars that are hosted by qualified National Faculty Members. The webinars are approximately an hour long and are live, so each speaker will be available to answer questions that you may have during or after the webinar. We invite you to explore current topics of interest in insurance and risk management. Read more

Mahoning Valley isn’t the only Ohio area with recent seismic activity

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Mahoning Valley isn’t the only Ohio area with recent seismic activity
By Karl Henkel, Youngstown Vindicator, Jan. 15, 2012

Youngstown has become the poster city for potential injection-well-induced earthquakes. But the Ohio Department of Natural Resources points to the success of 176 other injection wells throughout the state that have no history of inciting earthquakes. Cue Washington County. The Southeast Ohio county — an area that the ODNR has said is less prone to earthquakes than the rest of the state — hadn’t had an earthquake with an epicenter in the county before Oct. 24, 2010. Read more

Ohioans likely to pay higher home-insurance rates

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By Mark Williams, Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 16, 2012
Read Dispatch article here

Last year’s catastrophic tornadoes, floods and hurricanes probably mean that the cost of insuring your home will continue to climb.

The cost of homeowner policies had been rising even before a rash of deadly storms in 2011 led to insured losses that were about double the already-high level of 2010, according to industry figures.

Although insurers are prohibited from increasing rates to recoup losses from past storms, the losses they suffered in the past several years can be factored into projections of expected future losses that are used to set rates. Read more