Topics Related to NCDOI

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Demario Antwan Metcalf, 37, of 2109 NE 24th St., Winston-Salem. Metcalf was charged with insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense, both felonies.

Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations division accuse Metcalf of attempting to obtain $8,000 through a renters’ insurance claim from Allstate Insurance Co. by falsifying statements, pictures of damaged items and documents to support the claim.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced today the arrest of Asiah Lenee Person, 30, of 5028 Hilltop Road, Greensboro. Person was charged with one count of forgery of an instrument and one count of uttering a forged endorsement, both felonies.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Nathan Javonte Chambers, 27, of 8197 Wood St., Mount Pleasant. Chambers is charged with embezzlement and conversion by a bailee, both felonies.

According to the arrest warrant, Chambers, a bail bond agent with 123 Bail Bonding, embezzled $200,000 from a client and converting it to his own use.

Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division note that the victim had used 123 Bail Bonding’s services in Mecklenburg County to post a $25,000 bond on June 23, 2023.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced today the arrest of Deshawn Dante Townes, 32, of 614 Oakwood Ave., Sanford. Townes is charged with three counts of a bail bondsman impersonating a law enforcement officer. All three charges are misdemeanors.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced that North Carolina’s Captive Insurance Program continues to grow and contribute to the state’s economy more than a decade after its inception.

“Businesses with unique insurance needs are finding North Carolina a great place to conduct business through its Captive Insurance Program,” Commissioner Causey said. “We’re excited by the continued growth of our captive program and welcome the innovation that service providers bring to address emerging risks in the industry.”

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today fined UnitedHealthcare of North Carolina Inc. and its affiliate UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co. $3.4 million following over four years investigating the companies’ claims handling practices involving balance billing.

In addition to the fine, UnitedHealthcare agreed to provide the Department of Insurance with a corrective action plan to address violations uncovered in the investigation and submit to future compliance examinations.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Timothy Scott Gilbert, 60, of 2242 Shelton Ave., Statesville. Gilbert was charged with obtaining property by false pretense, a felony.

According to special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division, Gilbert, who owns a collision repair shop, obtained an insurance payment check from a customer in the amount of $7,514.23 to repair a damaged vehicle and did not perform the repairs outlined. He later paid back $266.48 of the funds received.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has announced that the North Carolina Department of Insurance saved or recovered nearly $144 million for North Carolinians in the 2024 calendar year.

This amount represents a record in recoveries since Commissioner Causey took office in January 2017, eclipsing the $130 million mark set in 2023. The recovered funds include those from insurance fraud restitution and external reviews. The department also announced a total of 406 arrests via its Criminal Investigations Division.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Shaqura Tyeisha Cobb, 34, of 730 Gateway Park Drive, Raleigh. Cobb was charged with three counts of embezzlement and three counts of obtaining property by false pretense, all felonies.

Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse Cobb, a licensed bail bond agent, of obtaining bail bond premiums totaling $13,300 from three different jail inmates and keeping the money instead of bailing the inmates out of jail.

With cold temperatures already affecting the state and the possibility of wintry weather this weekend, Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is reminding North Carolinians to prioritize fire safety when using portable heaters and take precautions when traveling on icy or snow-covered roads.

Last year, there were 119 home fire deaths in North Carolina, many related to home heating. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires in the U.S., with nearly 90% of fire deaths involving space heaters.