Thursday, April 7, 2011

Two agents lose their licenses for misappropriating clients' money

Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has taken action against two insurance agents who misappropriated thousands of dollars from their clients.
• Nancy M. Bishop, of Puyallup, has been notified that the insurance commissioner’s office refuses to renew her insurance license. She has been barred from doing insurance business in Washington and ordered to repay consumers more than $131,000.
A state examination of Bishop’s business records revealed that she violated state insurance laws in dozens of instances, including repeatedly accepting premium payments for policies that did not exist, and keeping the money herself. She also wrongly kept some clients’ refunds and issued false certificates of coverage.
The examination found that Bishop owes dozens of Washington consumers more than $131,000, including overcharges and misappropriated funds.
The violations, according to Kreidler’s order, show Bishop to be “untrustworthy and a source of injury and loss to the public and not qualified to be an insurance producer in the state of Washington.”
• Isaac Mayanja, an agent in Redmond, has had his insurance license revoked.
In 2010, a state investigation determined that Mayanja sold at least 19 unapproved annuities to Washington residents. He also repeatedly engaged in the unauthorized withdrawal of clients’ funds, including forgery and misappropriation of their money.
Specifically, he submitted withdrawal forms totaling $15,570 for several clients’ annuities, changing their addresses on the forms to his own address and then transferring the money to his own personal bank accounts.
In both cases, the agents have the right to demand a hearing. The orders take effect immediately.