ZIFL Volume 27, Issue 20
Barry Zalma
Oct 16, 2023
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This, the twentieth issue of the 27th year of publication Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter.
Man Bites Dog: GEICO Bites Fraudsters - Don’t Ty to Defraud GEICO It Bites Back
GEICO sued Defendants ALP Supply, Inc. (“ALP”), PV Supply, Inc. (“PV”), and Pal Vakula, alleging common law fraud and unjust enrichment claims.
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McClenny Moseley & Associates Issues
This is ZIFL’s sixteenth installment of the saga of McClenny, Moseley & Associates.
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Evidence Required to Prove Fraud
Insurer Not Required to Disclose How it Selects Limits and Premium
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Good News From The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
Nerik Ilyayev and Mukhiddin Kadirov have pleaded guilty for multiple cases of insurance fraud. The pair face at least 10 years in prison each, with sentences pending.
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Not Wise to Explain Scheme to Defraud to FBI Informants
Insurance Fraudster Tries Multiple Bases for Appeal & Still Goes to Jail
For his conduct, a jury convicted Higgins on three counts of mail fraud under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341-42 and two counts of retaliating against a witness, victim, or an informant under 18 U.S.C. § 1513(e). In United States of America v. Brian Higgins, No. 22-3538, United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit (October 6, 2023) affirmed his conviction.
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California Conference of Arson Investigators Training Seminar
As One of the Speakers, I encourage you to SIGN UP TODAY FOR THE OCTOBER 16 – 19, 2023 CCAI Fire Investigation Training Seminar – where you can learn How Insurers and Arson Investigators Have Taken the Profit from Arson-for-Profit from Attorney Barry Zalma, Esq.
Register today by calling 909 865-5004 Or click here to register online.
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Health Insurance Fraud Convictions
Husband And Wife Sent to Prison For $8M Health Care Fraud
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Other Insurance Fraud Convictions
Newtown Man Ordered to Pay Restitution for Fraudulent Practices
John Paul Reis, 56, of Newtown Township, Pennsylvania entered an open guilty plea.
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Detail Charging Defendant for Fraud is Sufficient
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Charges that Advises the Defendant of the Crime Cannot be Set Aside
In United States Of America v. Lourdes Navarro, AKA Lulu, No. 25-661, United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (December 4, 2025) Lourdes Navarro appealed the district court’s denial of her motion to dismiss the indictment and enter final judgment was in error.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
The indictment alleged that insurers reimburse only for medically necessary services. Navarro performed unnecessary respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests on nasal swabs collected from asymptomatic individuals for COVID-19 screening.
Navarro billed over $455 million to insurers for those additional RPP tests that she knew to be medically unnecessary. These allegations constituted a plain, concise, and definite written ...
Louisiana Statute Prevents Enforcement of Contract Term Requiring Arbitration of Disputes
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In Town of Vinton v. Indian Harbor Insurance Company, Nos. 24-30035, 24-30748, 24-30749, 24-30750, 24-30751, 24-30756, 24-30757, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (December 8, 2025) municipal entities including the Town of Vinton, et al sued domestic insurers after dismissing foreign insurers with prejudice. The insurers sought arbitration under the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (the “Convention”) but the court held Louisiana law — prohibiting arbitration clauses in such policies—controls, as the Convention does not apply absent foreign parties who ...
Refusal to Provide Workers’ Compensation is Expensive
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In Illinois Department of Insurance, Insurance Compliance Department v.USA Water And Fire Restoration, Inc., And Nicholas Pacella, Individually And As Officer, Nos. 23WC021808, 18INC00228, No. 25IWCC0467, the Illinois Department of Insurance (Petitioner) initiated an investigation after the Injured Workers’ Benefit Fund (IWBF) was added to a pending workers’ compensation claim. The claim alleged a work-related injury during employment with the Respondents who failed to maintain workers’ compensation Insurance.
Company Overview:
USA Water & Fire Restoration, Inc. was incorporated on January 17, 2014, and dissolved on June 14, 2019, for failure to file annual reports and pay franchise taxes. It then operated under assumed names including USA Board Up & Glass Co. and USA Plumbing and Sewer. The business ...
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter
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ZIFL Volume 29, Issue 24
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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/
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter
Merry Christmas & Happy Hannukah
Read the following Articles from the December 15, 2025 issue:
Read the full 19 page issue of ZIFL at ...
The Professional Claims Handler
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Posted on October 31, 2025 by Barry Zalma
An Insurance claims professionals should be a person who:
Can read and understand the insurance policies issued by the insurer.
Understands the promises made by the policy.
Understand their obligation, as an insurer’s claims staff, to fulfill the promises made.
Are competent investigators.
Have empathy and recognize the difference between empathy and sympathy.
Understand medicine relating to traumatic injuries and are sufficiently versed in tort law to deal with lawyers as equals.
Understand how to repair damage to real and personal property and the value of the repairs or the property.
Understand how to negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement with the insured that is fair and reasonable to both the insured and the insurer.
How to Create Claims Professionals
To avoid fraudulent claims, claims of breach of contract, bad faith, punitive damages, unresolved losses, and to make a profit, insurers ...
The History Behind the Creation of a Claims Handling Expert
The Insurance Industry Needs to Implement Excellence in Claims Handling or Fail
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This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry. This statement of my philosophy on claims handling starts with my history as a claims adjuster, insurance defense and coverage lawyer and insurance claims handling expert.
My Training to be an Insurance Claims Adjuster
When I was discharged from the US Army in 1967 I was hired as an insurance adjuster trainee by a professional and well respected insurance company. The insurer took a chance on me because I had been an Army Intelligence Investigator for my three years in the military and could use that training and experience to be a basis to become a professional insurance adjuster.
I was initially sat at a desk reading a text-book on insurance ...
