A True Crime Story of Insurance Fraud

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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.

Occasionally, without fanfare, someone stands up and refuses to honor an obvious fraud. Such an event, by its rarity, deserves public recognition.

In October 1989 Joe Chevrolet, a negligent, uninsured motorist struck the rear end of a vehicle driven by Marcia Toyota. Ms. Toyota was insured with Good Hands Insurance Company. Marcia claimed severe physical and emotional injuries as a result of the accident. Through her attorney, Mel Shyster, she presented the reports of Louise Quack, a doctor of Chiropractic. Good Hands and Toyota did not agree on the amount of loss she had incurred. Both sides presented evidence to arbitrator Honest Abe Lawyer.

At the arbitration Dr. Quack testified explaining the severe injuries she claimed she had detected in Toyota. Dr. Quack spoke at length about the many modalities of treatment she provided to Toyota to make her well. Good Hands produced George Wellness, M.D. who testified that Toyota suffered “no injury.” Good Hands also brought to the Arbitration Clever Expert, Ph.D. who stated an opinion that the collision was “de minimis” and caused no actual damage to Toyota’s vehicle.

Good Hands presented its evidence to the arbitrator with trepidation. It knew that arbitrators often attempt to reach Solomon-like decisions. They often render awards that split the difference between the demand and the offer.

Barry Zalma presents fictionalized True Crime Stories of Insurance Fraud from an Expert who explains why Insurance Fraud is a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” situation for Insurers.

The stories help 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.

If the fraud succeeds the insurer must charge more premium to cover the expense of defending the fraud and payment of funds to the fraud perpetrator. If the fraud fails the insurer must charge more premium to cover the expense of defending the fraud. Everyone, except the lawyers, lose.

As you watch the videos I hope they help you understand the effect that insurance fraud has on the perpetrators, the insurers, the people who need insurance, the people who buy insurance, and the people who keep the promises made by insurance policies.Over the last 54 years Barry Zalma has dedicated his life to insurance, insurance claims and the need to defeat insurance fraud.

© 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, zalma@claimschool.com and zalma@zalma.com . 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 YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg; 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/