Major Insurance Fraud Bust In Palm Beach County

BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office just released details of a major insurance fraud bust in Palm Beach County. Here are the details:

On Tuesday, May 8th, 2012, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office conducted a Fraudulent Proof of Motor Vehicle Insurance Operation in which several police agencies participated. This was a county-wide enforcement effort. The enforcement operation was conducted between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM.

Drivers that were stopped by police officers for traffic violations or involved in motor vehicle crashes during this operation were asked to show proof of insurance.

The goal of this operation was to identify and apprehend any drivers with fake insurance cards and/or insurance cards that were no longer in force. Drivers caught with forged paperwork were charged with a third-degree felony for carrying fraudulent proof of motor vehicle insurance. Drivers caught with insurance cards that were no longer be in force were charged with a misdemeanor. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), several insurance companies and the below listed agencies joined forces to take these drivers off the roadways. In this operation, officers were to able radio in the driver’s insurance card information to a command center, which had on-hand insurance representatives from several companies to verify all the insurance information.

Drivers with fake insurance cards affect all drivers on the road because in the event of a crash with an uninsured motorist, the cost acquired can be eventually passed on to those with valid insurance. Insurance rates keep escalating every year to recover losses due to uninsured drivers.

It is illegal to drive in the state of Florida without insurance or with a fake insurance card. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office showed zero tolerance for this type of crime.

The law enforcement agencies that participated in the operation were:

Palm Beach County Sheriff Lake Clarke Shores Police Atlantis Police

Greenacres Police North Palm Beach Police Boynton Beach Police

Lantana Police Riviera Beach Police Florida Highway Patrol

Jupiter Police Tequesta Police West Palm Beach Police

The insurance companies had representatives on hand from the following companies:

MGA/Gainsco GMAC Geico

Nationwide
Allstate Hartford

Windhaven Farmers Sentry

Infinity State Farm Direct

Mercury Imperial Omni USAA

Travelers United Auto

The following is a total of citations/arrests during the operation: 837 citations, 20 arrests (1 felony for providing a false insurance card, 5 misdemeanors for insurance no longer in force, 2 DUI’s, 4 drug charges, 6 for driving while suspended, 1 other misdemeanor, and another felony.