Calif. Couple Charged with Fraud

Criminal charges of insurance fraud have been filed against Cory and Tiffany Thurlow of Modesto, Calif. by the District Attorneys Office of Stanislaus County. They are charged with two felony counts and a misdemeanor.

These charges arise from an insurance claim the Thurlows made against their insurance carrier, Workmen’s Auto Insurance of Los Angeles, California, for an alleged theft of property from their house on May 27, 2003.

The Thurlows allegedly claimed that approximately $60,000 worth of household items were stolen by burglars. Due to the suspicious nature of the claim, Workmen’s Auto referred the case to claims investigation firm David Morse & Associates. Subsequent investigation revealed numerous inconsistencies and misrepresentations, and the matter was referred to the Stanislaus County District Attorneys Office. Further investigation by the District Attorney investigators produced evidence to indicate that the Thurlows had hidden the allegedly stolen belongings in a storage facility.

Martin D. McDermott, III, vice president, Claims for Workmen’s Auto Insurance, said, “The first step to improve the odds in the battle against fraud is our front line claims professionals. Adjusters can’t ignore those ‘red flags.’ If SIU gets the case for investigation early in the claims process, the odds to uncover insurance fraud are now in our favor. The hopes and dreams of many claims professionals in the fight against fraud have been lost. We need to accept the challenges of fraud in our industry so we can feel the exhilaration of victory and keep the cost of insurance affordable for everyone.”