Zalma on Insurance
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Insurance Claims professional presents articles and videos on insurance, insurance Claims and insurance law for insurance Claims adjusters, insurance professionals and insurance lawyers who wish to improve their skills and knowledge. Presented by an internationally recognized expert and author.
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March 10, 2022
The Sleaze

True Crime of Insurance Fraud Number 33

Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sleaze-barry-zalma-esq-cfe and see the full video at https://rumble.com/vwxrru-the-sleaze.html?mref=6zof&mrefc=2 and at

plus more than 4100 posts.

Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE presents videos so you can learn how insurance fraud is perpetrated and what is necessary to deter or defeat insurance fraud. This Video Blog of True Crime Stories of Insurance Fraud with the names and places changed to protect the guilty are all based upon investigations conducted by me and fictionalized to create a learning environment for claims personnel, SIU investigators, insurers, police, and lawyers better understand insurance fraud and weapons that can be used to deter or defeat a fraudulent insurance claim.
An Evil Insured

The Sleaze was not a nice man. He learned the safe way to steal in prison. A Superior Court Judge had sentenced him to two years in state prison for forging his mother’s will.

His cell mate, an armed robber bragged about his successful brother. The brother had found a new career claiming the theft of small pieces of jewelry on homeowners’ policies. Insurance companies always paid, whether he owned the jewelry or not, rather than fight. His cell mate explained how prosecutors had no interest in this type of crime. Insurance companies, fearing punitive damages verdicts would pay even when the claim was fraudulent.

The Sleaze vowed that when he got out of prison he would pursue this safe form of crime.

The Sleaze was a man of his word. Immediately after leaving prison he bought a tenant’s homeowners policy. He asked for, and received without question, a $10,000 jewelry extension from the company. His limit of liability, instead of the standard $1,000, was $10,000.

Within a month of buying the policy, he reported the probable theft of a $10,000 ring. He told the adjuster that he was at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel meeting with a business associate. He removed his ring to wash his hands in the men’s room. He forgot to replace his ring, returned to his lunch and realized the ring was missing about the time he finished lunch. He immediately went back to the restroom but found the ring missing. He reported the possible theft to the men’s room attendant and to the hotel security office. He told the adjuster that the ring was a family heirloom given to him by his father a week before he died. He had no appraisals or receipts. He had nothing in writing that proved he owned the ring. He had no photographs showing him wearing the ring. He was willing, however, to swear that he owned the ring and that it was probably stolen from the restroom at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The Sleaze would not let the matter rest. He filed suit in Superior Court naming counsel and the insurance company for fraud in the taking of his automobile. The insurance company had to retain new counsel to defend its attorney and itself to this new lawsuit. When that suit was unsuccessful the Sleaze filed small claims court actions alleging fraud and hoping that the insurer or its attorney would fail to appear. When counsel appeared at the small claims court action, the Sleaze, who was present, faked an illness and begged for a continuance. When this was unsuccessful, judgment was entered on the small claims court action for the insurance company and its counsel.

On the surface, the Sleaze was unsuccessful in his fraudulent claims against the insurance company. He was successful in committing fraud. He was successful in raising the reasonable costs of defending fraudulent insurance claims beyond logic. He placed a lawyer in fear of her life and cost her law firm and the insurer she represented the cost of a body guard. Anyone who believes that insurance fraud is not a violent crime never met the Sleaze.

© 2022 – Barry Zalma

Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE, now limits his practice to service as an insurance consultant specializing in insurance coverage, insurance claims handling, insurance bad faith and insurance fraud almost equally for insurers and policyholders.

He practiced law in California for more than 44 years as an insurance coverage and claims handling lawyer and more than 54 years in the insurance business.

Subscribe to “Zalma on Insurance” at https://zalmaoninsurance.locals.com/subscribe and “Excellence in Claims Handling” at https://barryzalma.substack.com/welcome.

You can contact Mr. Zalma at https://www.zalma.com, https://www.claimschool.com, [email protected] and [email protected] . Mr. Zalma is the first recipient of the first annual Claims Magazine/ACE Legend Award.

You may find interesting the podcast “Zalma On Insurance” at https://anchor.fm/barry-zalma; you can follow Mr. Zalma on Twitter at; you should see Barry Zalma’s videos on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg/featured; or videos on https://rumble.com/zalma. Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://zalma.com/blog/insurance-claims–library/ The last two issues of ZIFL are available at https://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/

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Allegations That Establish Breach of a Condition Defeats Suit

Notice of Claim Later than 60 Days After Expiration is Too Late

Post 5089

Injury at Massage Causes Suit Against Therapist

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gziRzFV8, see the full video at https://lnkd.in/gF4aYrQ2 and at https://lnkd.in/gqShuGs9, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5050 posts.

Hiscox Insurance Company (“Hiscox”) moved the USDC to Dismiss a suit for failure to state a claim because the insured reported its claim more than 60 days after expiration of the policy.

In Mluxe Williamsburg, LLC v. Hiscox Insurance Company, Inc., et al., No. 4:25-cv-00002, United States District Court, E.D. Missouri, Eastern Division (May 22, 2025) the trial court’s judgment was affirmed.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff, the operator of a massage spa franchise, entered into a commercial insurance agreement with Hiscox that provided liability insurance coverage from July 25, 2019, to July 25, 2020. On or about June 03, 2019, a customer alleged that one of Plaintiff’s employees engaged in tortious ...

00:08:31
June 02, 2025
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter – June 1, 2025

ZIFL – Volume 29, Issue 11
The Source for the Insurance Fraud Professional
Posted on June 2, 2025 by Barry Zalma

Post 5087

See the full video at and at

Read the full article and the full issue of ZIFL June 1, 2025 at https://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ZIFL-06-01-2025.pdf

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter – June 1, 2025

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gw-Hgww9 and at https://lnkd.in/gF8QAq4d, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5050 posts.

ZIFL – Volume 29, Issue 11

The Source for the Insurance Fraud Professional

Read the full article and the full issue of ZIFL June 1, 2025 at https://lnkd.in/gTWZUnnF

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 29th year of publication dedicated to those involved in reducing the effect of insurance fraud. ZIFL is published 24 times a year by ClaimSchool and is written by Barry Zalma. It is provided FREE to anyone who visits the site at ...

00:08:42
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May 30, 2025
Plain Language of Policy Enforced

No Coverage if Home Vacant for More Than 60 Days

Failure to Respond To Counterclaim is an Admission of All Allegations

Post 5085

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gbWPjHub and at https://lnkd.in/gZ9ztA-P, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5050 posts.

In Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company v. Rebecca Massey, Civil Action No. 2:25-cv-00124, United States District Court, S.D. West Virginia, Charleston Division (May 22, 2025) Defendant Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company's (“Nationwide”) motion for Default Judgment against Plaintiff Rebecca Massey (“Plaintiff”) for failure to respond to a counterclaim and because the claim was excluded by the policy.

BACKGROUND

On February 26, 2022, Plaintiff's home was destroyed by a fire. At the time of this accident, Plaintiff had a home insurance policy with Nationwide. Plaintiff reported the fire loss to Nationwide, which refused to pay for the damages under the policy because the home had been vacant for more than 60 days.

Plaintiff filed suit ...

00:06:50
May 15, 2025
Zalma's Insurance Fraud Letter - May 15, 2025

ZIFL Volume 29, Issue 10
The Source for the Insurance Fraud Professional

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gK_P4-BK and at https://lnkd.in/g2Q7BHBu, and at https://zalma.com/blog and at https://lnkd.in/gjyMWHff.

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 29th year of publication dedicated to those involved in reducing the effect of insurance fraud. ZIFL is published 24 times a year by ClaimSchool and is written by Barry Zalma. It is provided FREE to anyone who visits the site at http://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/ You can read the full issue of the May 15, 2025 issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ZIFL-05-15-2025.pdf
This issue contains the following articles about insurance fraud:

Health Care Fraud Trial Results in Murder for Hire of Witness

To Avoid Conviction for Insurance Fraud Defendants Murder Witness

In United States of America v. Louis Age, Jr.; Stanton Guillory; Louis Age, III; Ronald Wilson, Jr., No. 22-30656, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (April 25, 2025) the Fifth Circuit dealt with the ...

May 15, 2025
CGL Is Not a Medical Malpractice Policy

Professional Health Care Services Exclusion Effective

Post 5073

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/g-f6Tjm5 and at https://lnkd.in/gx3agRzi, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5050 posts.

This opinion is the recommendation of a Magistrate Judge to the District Court Judge and involves Travelers Casualty Insurance Company and its duty to defend the New Mexico Bone and Joint Institute (NMBJI) and its physicians in a medical negligence lawsuit brought by Tervon Dorsey.

In Travelers Casualty Insurance Company Of America v. New Mexico Bone And Joint Institute, P.C.; American Foundation Of Lower Extremity Surgery And Research, Inc., a New Mexico Corporation; Riley Rampton, DPM; Loren K. Spencer, DPM; Tervon Dorsey, individually; Kimberly Dorsey, individually; and Kate Ferlic as Guardian Ad Litem for K.D. and J.D., minors, No. 2:24-cv-0027 MV/DLM, United States District Court, D. New Mexico (May 8, 2025) the Magistrate Judge Recommended:

Insurance Coverage Dispute:

Travelers issued a Commercial General Liability ...

April 30, 2025
The Devil’s in The Details

A Heads I Win, Tails You Lose Story
Post 5062

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Barry Zalma

"This is a Fictionalized True Crime Story of Insurance Fraud that explains why Insurance Fraud is a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” situation for Insurers. The story is designed to help everyone to Understand How Insurance Fraud in America is Costing Everyone who Buys Insurance Thousands of Dollars Every year and Why Insurance Fraud is Safer and More Profitable for the ­­­Perpetrators than any Other Crime."

Immigrant Criminals Attempt to Profit From Insurance Fraud

People who commit insurance fraud as a profession do so because it is easy. It requires no capital investment. The risk is low and the profits are high. The ease with which large amounts of money can be made from insurance fraud removes whatever moral hesitation might stop the perpetrator from committing the crime.

The temptation to do everything outside the law was the downfall of the brothers Karamazov. The brothers had escaped prison in the old Soviet Union by immigrating to the United...

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