La. Investigators Serve Cease and Desist Order on Agent

Louisiana Department of Insurance Fraud Unit investigators served Dereius Djuan Davis of Alexandria with a cease and desist order, prohibiting him from conducting any kind of insurance business in Louisiana, Insurance Commissioner J. Robert Wooley announced.

The Cease and Desist order states that between July 2003 and the present, Davis, 22 acted as a producer (agent) by selling, soliciting or negotiating insurance for nine different people. It also states that he collected money from each, claiming that he was a legal agent who could obtain insurance for them but that he misappropriated or otherwise mishandled the money collected.

“Mr. Davis allegedly obtained personal and financial information from people by passing himself off as a legal insurance salesman when he had never been licensed to sell insurance. His victims learned a hard lesson,” Wooley said. “They could have avoided the expense and personal suffering he caused them and their families if they had called us here at the Department of Insurance to find out if Mr. Davis was licensed to do business in this state before they gave him any personal information or money.”

“I was on radio and TV several times last week asking people to be careful about their insurance during national Get Smart About Insurance week. This case is such a good example of what can happen when you don’t pay close attention to your insurance transactions,” Wooley added.

Department of Insurance Fraud Investigators served Davis in the Rapides Parish jail, where he is incarcerated on unrelated charges. Members of the State Police Fraud Unit had arrested him earlier on charges related to his alleged fraudulent insurance selling activities.

“Consumers who have conducted any kind of insurance business with Dereius Djuan Davis should contact their insurance company or companies right away to learn the status of their insurance,” Wooley said. “If they have trouble contacting the company or find they have paid out money that the insurance company or companies did not receive, they should call the Department of Insurance, 1-800-259-5300, as soon as possible.”