Department of Insurance News

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner today announced that his office has revoked the licenses of Bruno Meteyry, 46, of Elk Grove, for engaging in prohibited pretext interviews and other unfair and improper practices aimed at seniors.

"Targeting and scamming seniors is especially despicable," said Commissioner Poizner. "We will continue to find these people and punish them."

In a CDI hearing, Meteyry was found to have contacted senior citizens and arranged appointments in their homes for the purpose of reviewing and updating their living trust documents, an area in which he had no expertise. It was determined that his real purpose was to sell annuities. That conduct is specifically prohibited by the Insurance Code.

Meteyry also was found to have misrepresented the terms of the annuity policies he was selling, failing to provide advance notice to seniors as required by the Insurance Code and making false statements regarding the financial condition of his prospective clients' existing insurance companies.

Meteyry had been licensed by CDI since 1997 to sell life, accident and health insurance. The revocation becomes effective Nov. 23, 2009.

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INSURANCE AGENT CONVICTED ON THEFT CHARGES, ORDERED TO PAY $200,000 IN RESTITUTION

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner today announced that Charles Alten Weidinger, 69, of San Francisco, was convicted of misdemeanor theft. He will serve two years probation and was ordered to pay $175,000 in restitution to a trust and $25,000 restitution to the California Department of Insurance for investigative costs.

"No matter how small the theft or the penalty, our investigators work hard to make sure consumers are protected from all crimes," Commissioner Poizner said. "Although the amount stolen was relatively small, the economic damages to the victim were staggering."

A CDI investigation determined that Weidinger had stolen $5,903, which was the full amount of an insurance premium and never purchased the requested general liability insurance policy for the Miller Family Trust. As a result, the Trust incurred more than $100,000 in legal expenses defending itself in a civil lawsuit for which it did not have insurance coverage. In 2008, the Trust was awarded $243,297 in a default judgment against Weidinger plus $26,189 in attorney fees. That judgment was vacated soon after the Trust’s civil attorney settled for $175,000, believing he could never recover the full judgment from Weidinger.

The civil lawsuit arose when the plaintiff, Lassen Peak Winery, alleged that the Miller Family Trust had misappropriated certain deeded water rights of the plaintiff. The Winery, which owns the property adjacent to two lots owned by the Trust, alleged that on June 4, 2004, and several times thereafter, it demanded that the Trust cease its activities, which were preventing the plaintiff from receiving the total water amount deeded.

Lassen Peak Winery contended in the civil suit that the Trust's misappropriation of its water rights caused damage to the Winery's fruit, vineyard, wine production and business reputation. The civil suit is believed to have been settled, but Weidinger’s crime left the Trust exposed to the liability.

Weidinger agreed to a plea agreement where he will be issued a restricted license so he may continue to earn money to pay off the restitution payments. An investigation of Weidinger’s business did not reveal any other victims or thefts.

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Life Insurance Agent on Grand Theft and Identity Theft Charges

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner today announced that life insurance agent

Kerry Urban Hunter, 50, of Inglewood, has been arrested and charged with one felony count of grand theft and one felony count of identity theft in connection with an investigation conducted by the California Department of Insurance. Hunter has pled not guilty and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 6.

"Insurance fraud is a $500 tax on every man, woman and child in California," said Commissioner Poizner. "We will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute all those who seek to defraud the system." According to CDI investigators, in 2008 Hunter allegedly received $5,177 in advance commissions from an unsuspecting life insurer after submitting 18 bogus insurance applications on behalf of nine people for supplemental medical policies.

The insurance company conducted its own investigation after noticing that a high number of applications were cancelled due to premium payments returned for insufficient funds. It was discovered that Hunter used his bank checking account information on the applications and that the applications contained incorrect dates of birth, social security numbers and addresses. Attempts by the life insurer to locate the applicants were not successful. CDI Investigators were able to locate one individual identified on one of the bogus applications. The man said he did not know Hunter and had no intentions of purchasing a policy from him.