Phantom auto theft claim results in charges against Eastern Washington man

02/04/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Dale Maki, of Usk, Wash., was charged in Pend Oreille Superior Court with one count of false claims or proof in connection with an auto claim after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU).

According to the investigation, Maki bought a 2000 GMC Sierra pickup truck for $3,000 from a private party on Aug. 13, 2018. He added it to his Farmers Insurance auto policy that day. Two days later, he filed a claim for $3,338 in damage to the passenger side rear wheel panel and bumper. He stated the truck was stolen from his…

Yakima woman pleads guilty after filing 27 fake injury claims worth $5,175

01/31/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Rebecca Tabares Garza, of Yakima, pleaded guilty in Yakima County Superior Court to first-degree theft and filing a false insurance claim for 27 injuries she said occurred to herself and her family. Garza was sentenced to two months of home detention, six months of community custody and was ordered to pay $5,175 in restitution and $600 in court fees.

Officials charged Garza with three counts each of filing a false insurance claim, forgery and second-degree theft in March 2019 after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations…

Kreidler: Trump rule on abortion payment needlessly harms consumers, risks their coverage

01/30/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has instructed health insurers to continue following state law by sending consumers a single bill for their monthly premium. They also should continue segregating the portion of the premium they collect to pay for abortion services excluded by federal law, as required by the Affordable Care Act. 

Kreidler’s instructions are in response to questions insurers have raised about a new federal rule that would require health insurers selling plans in exchanges to send consumers two bills each month – one for…

Former insurance agent charged with theft in $2.8 million loan case

01/28/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Edward J. Chadwick, of Yakima, was charged with first-degree theft in Spokane County Superior Court after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU).

Chadwick was an insurance producer and owned an insurance agency called Kelt, primarily selling insurance to transportation companies. He is accused of fraudulently obtaining 24 insurance premium finance loans totaling $2.8 million from April 2016 through July 2018 from Tepco, a premium finance company based in Spokane. He is accused of obtaining loans on behalf of…