Topics Related to NCDOI

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced that Medicare beneficiaries impacted by Hurricane Dorian have been granted a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to sign up for 2020 benefits.

This SEP gives beneficiaries extra time to enroll in a Medicare health or prescription drug plan due to the unforeseen circumstances that accompany a natural disaster.

The 2020 Medicare Open Enrollment period ended Dec. 7, 2019.  This SEP allows those affected by the storm to enroll through Jan. 31, 2020 with coverage to begin Feb. 1, 2020.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Clifton Lewis Lemons, 65, of 105 Old Lexington Road, Thomasville, and his daughter, Brandena Leigh Lemons, 36, 302 Richardson Ave., High Point. Both were charged with insurance fraud, obtaining property by false pretense, and conspiracy, all felonies.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Christopher Shawn Brice, 27, of Marietta, Ga. Brice was charged with two counts of felony conspiracy.

Special Agents with the Department of Insurance's Criminal Investigations Division accuse Brice of conspiring with Andrew Bryant Belk to embezzle funds from IAT Insurance Group. Belk was arrested earlier.

The offense occurred between Feb. 2, 2016, and March 14, 2016.

Special Agents and Wake County deputies arrested Brice on Feb. 5. He was given a $10,000 secured bond.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Dwight Eugene Bell Jr., 30, of 920 Bryan Place, Garner, on multiple charges involving renters' insurance policies.

Bell is charged with five counts of felony insurance fraud, three counts of felony obtaining property by false pretense, two counts of felony attempting to obtain property by false pretense, felony possession of a card forgery device, felony conspiracy, and misdemeanor possession or manufacture of a fraudulent ID.

The North Carolina Rate Bureau has filed a request to increase homeowners' insurance rates for mobile home policies with the N.C. Department of Insurance.

The NCRB, which represents insurance companies and is not a part of the N.C. Department of Insurance, has requested an overall statewide average of 19 percent increase for MH-C (Casualty) policies and an overall statewide average of 19.9 percent increase for MH-F (Fire) policies. Both MH-C and MH-F programs provide property and liability coverage.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Stephanie Blackwood, 34, of 428 Settlers Ridge Drive, Kannapolis. Blackwood was charged with two counts of insurance fraud and two counts of attempting to obtain property by false pretense, all felonies.

According to the arrest warrants, Blackwood filed two false claims with Progressive Insurance Co. for damage to a vehicle. The first claim was filed before the policy went into effect. The second involved a claim that had previously been reported.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced that Melissa Anne Oldfield, 25, of 580 E. McRainey Road, Saint Pauls, 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 Oldfield of providing a misleading statement and a false handwritten diagnostic report to USAA Insurance to support a renters' insurance claim that stated two television sets were damaged by an electrical surge after Hurricane Florence.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Sheldon James May, 27, of Columbus, Ga. May is charged with felony conspiracy.

Special Agents with the Department of Insurance's Criminal Investigations Division accuse May of conspiring with Andrew Bryant Belk to embezzle money from IAT Insurance Group Inc. Belk was arrested earlier.

The offense occurred between March 8-9, 2016.

Special Agents and Wake County deputies arrested May on Feb. 7. He was given a $3,000 secured bond.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is backing legislation that would ban handheld cellphone use while driving as a means of saving lives, preventing injuries and driving down automobile insurance costs.

The Hands Free NC Act was introduced in the N.C. General Assembly on Thursday as a means to cut down on the number of deaths caused by distracted driving. According to AAA Carolinas, more than 123 people died in 2018 as a result of distracted driving.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of a Raleigh woman accused of filing false unemployment insurance claims while being employed full time.

Janice Bell, 52, of 6804 Chesterbrook Court, Raleigh, was charged with 13 counts of insurance fraud and 13 counts of obtaining property by false pretense, all felonies.

Special Agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse Bell of obtaining $5,017.53 from Triton Insurance Co. by filing false unemployment claims.