Insurance Arrest

Tampa Tribune
11-22-02

Authorities said Thursday they arrested an Orlando man and charged him with selling fake malpractice insurance coverage policies to thousands of doctors' offices in Orlando, Kissimmee, Sanibel Island and Stuart and pocketing the proceeds.

Michael E. Rock, 33, was being held with bail set at $250,000. Rock faces one count each of grand theft and organized fraud, both first-degree felonies, and five counts of unlawful sale of insurance, a third- degree felony.

Legitimate malpractice insurance is becoming harder for doctors to acquire in Florida. The state Department of Insurance, which investigated the case, warned doctors' offices that before they buy malpractice coverage, they should check the licenses and legitimacy of both the agent selling the insurance and the company providing the coverage. That information is available from the department's consumer help line at 1-800-342-2762 or its Web site at www.fldoi.com