ORLANDO AGENT ARRESTED AGAIN FOR STEALING PREMIUMS

An insurance agent whose license was suspended last year and has already been arrested twice this year by state insurance fraud detectives for stealing premiums has been arrested yet again.

The most recent charges accuse Scott Wiggins, 42, who operated SRW Insurance Services out of his home, of pocketing approximately $100,000 in premiums from at least 10 victims, said detectives with the Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance Fraud.  Wiggins allegedly never placed the coverage and issued forged certificates of coverage to cover his tracks.  Detectives suspect there are more victims.

“We are continuing to investigate the scope of this individual’s operations,” said Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, who oversees the department.  “We are asking anyone who may have been a victim or knows anything about this operation to please come forward.” 

Detectives said Wiggins used various insurance company names on the forged certificates, including Lexington and Burlington for general liability policies, Rockwood Casualty for workers’ compensation policies, and Windsor for auto insurance policies. 

Wiggins had his license suspended last year by the department’s Division of Agent and Agency Services, and was placed on probation in July for a March arrest for grand theft.  In July he was arrested again for misappropriating premiums and selling insurance without a license.  And then last week, a warrant was obtained for violation of probation because of new charges -- two counts of selling insurance without a license and two counts of grand theft.  If convicted on the charges, he faces up to 40 years in prison and revocation of his license.  The cases are filed with the Orange County State Attorney's Office in the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida.  

Anyone who purchased insurance from Wiggins in 2004 or 2005 should contact the insurance company to verify coverage or call the Department’s Consumer Services Hotline at 1-800-342-2762.

The Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance Fraud, investigates fraud in all types of insurance, including health, life, auto, property and workers’ compensation.  To report information about this case or any other possible insurance fraud case, call the department’s fraud hotline at 1-800-378-0445.  A reward of up to $25,000 may be offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.