Washington Commissioner Disciplines Agents and Brokers this June 2018

Agents and brokers

Brian K. Graves, Spokane; fined $3,500, order 18-0161

A Washington state consumer asked Graves for a quote from Farmers Insurance for an auto policy that included his two sons. Graves provided the quote but excluded the sons from the quote. Graves also issued false certificates for liability to the state Department of Labor and Industries for policies for three Spokane businesses.   

Tina M. Martinez and Tina M. Martinez LLC, Yakima, Wash., fined $750, order 18-0217
Lindy Layton, Selah, Wash.; fined $250, order 18-0218

Martinez, an insurance producer, her agency, and one of its insurance producers, Lindy Layton, failed to provide the invoice of a commercial insurance policy to the consumer’s mortgage company in a timely manner. The mortgage company requested the invoice several times. As a result, the mortgage company was unable to pay the premium on the consumer’s policy, the insurer canceled the policy for nonpayment and the property was uninsured for two months. Additionally, the new policy cost twice as much as the canceled policy, which caused the consumer’s mortgage escrow account to be short. 

GC Insurance Services and John R. McDaniel Jr., Seattle; fined $2,000, order 18-0259

GC Insurance and McDaniel charged broker fees to consumers but either failed to disclose them or only partially disclosed them, instead including them in the premiums. The fees varied by consumer and by policy. State law requires insurance producers to disclose fees in writing to consumers. 

Monteith Insurance Inc., and Mark Monteith, Kennewick, Wash.; fined $1,000, order 18-0261

The agency failed to return premium refunds to consumers in a timely manner, despite being told to by the insurance commissioner’s financial examiners several times. Monteith held onto one refund totaling $3,267 for more than five months. 

Michael A. Taylor, Vancouver, Wash.; fined $1,000, order 18-0289

A consumer filed a complaint with the insurance commissioner after Taylor sold a life insurance policy and misrepresented the terms of the policy. The consumer reported that Taylor said if he canceled the policy within two years of obtaining it, Farmers would refund all of the premium payments plus 10 percent interest. The consumer asked to cancel the policy and was told he would only get back his last two premium payments, a total of $1,328. The consumer was expecting to get back nearly $5,700 in premium payments plus 10 percent interest. 

Hub International Northwest LLC, Bothell, Wash.; fined $250, order 18-0214

The licensed insurance producer collected a yearly premium payment from a consumer but didn’t remit it to the insurer due to an accounting error. The insurer issued a cancelation notice to the consumer, but Hub overnighted the payment to the insurer and the policy remained in place. 

Other violations

The insurance commissioner fined the following insurance producers for failing to notify the agency of administrative actions against them:

Wai Shu Chau, Bellevue; fined $250, order 18-0274

On Call International LLC, Salem, N.H.; fined $250, order 18-0196 

Jesse Ryan Escobar, Chowchilla, Calif.; fined $250, order 18-0238

Carla Doretta McBeth, Houston; fined $250, order 18-0237

The insurance commissioner fined the following insurance producers for obtaining insurance on behalf of clients without their knowledge or consent:

Hien Thai Nguyen, Portland, Ore.; fined $500, order 18-0145

Takashi Williams, Gig Harbor, Wash.; fined $250, order 18-0248

The insurance commissioner fined the following insurance producers for violating state licensing laws:

Health Option One, LLC, Deerfield Beach, Fla., fined $750, order 18-0240

Foundershield LLC, New York City; fined $1,500, order 18-0198

Ryan Logan, Laguna Beach, Calif.; fined $500, order 18-0144 

The insurance commissioner revoked the licenses of the following insurance producers:

Miryah Lynne Bayard, Olympia; order 18-0273

Reed Collingwood, Bellevue; order 18-0265

Ian A. Davis, Vancouver, Wash.; order 18-0264

Maria N. Munoz, Sunnyside, Wash.; order 18-0213

Alondra Martinez, Marysville, Wash.; order 18-0172

Pend Oreille Title Co., Newport, Wash.; order 18-0227

Jonathan Aasland, Beavercreek, Ore.; order 18-0282

Hung Ngoc Ho, Fountain Valley, Calif.; order 18-0194

Briana Evans, Oakwood Village, Ohio; order 18-0247

Brianna Sainz, Las Vegas; order 18-0233

Saul D. Suster, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; order 18-0232

Carlos LaVelle Reid, Memphis, Tenn.; order 18-0231

Alexander Daniel Carr, Paw Paw, Ill.; order 18-0278

The insurance commissioner rescinded the revocations of the following insurance producers’ licenses:

Rodney S. Anderson, Spokane; order 18-0276

Cynthia B. Anderson, Spokane; order 18-0277

Sharon R. Lang, Mount Vernon, Ore.; fined $1,000, order 18-0287

Others

The insurance commissioner ordered the following people and organizations to cease and desist from selling insurance in Washington state without an insurance producer license:

Vashon Island Fire and Rescue, Vashon Island, Wash.; order 18-0260

Landan Dollar, Norcross, Ga.; order 18-0300

InsureTrust, Norcross, Ga.; order 18-0299

Kenneth Kukral, Beachwood, Ohio; order 18-0245

The insurance commissioner fined title companies and an appraisal company for violating state laws:

Frontier Title and Escrow of Klickitat, Goldendale, Wash.; fined $250, order 18-0256

Kitsap Title LLC, Port Orchard, Wash.; fined $250, order 18-0257

Nationwide Appraisals LLC, Elgin, Ill.; fined $3,500, order 18-0199