A bipartisan House bill would establish federal criminal penalties for staged or fabricated vehicle crashes tied to fraudulent insurance claims, with prison terms increasing when the schemes cause serious injury or death.
A Kern County jury convicted Daniel Montes of arson and automobile insurance fraud after prosecutors said he stripped and burned a Jeep Gladiator as part of a plan to generate an insurance claim. Jail calls and videos recovered from his phone helped expose the scheme.
The Supreme Court ruled that FAAAA preemption does not bar a state-law negligent hiring claim against a freight broker. Claims investigations may now put more scrutiny on carrier selection, safety records and broker documentation.
Heavy rainfall, damaging wind gusts and up to 5 feet of storm surge could generate property and flood losses along the Gulf Coast, with flooding also threatening the Houston area.
Florida investigators say 41 insurance applications were submitted for luxury vehicles the applicant did not own, with an alleged payment-and-refund scheme resulting in more than $44,000 obtained from an insurer.
Dolly’s remnants could soak South Florida later this week while a Gulf system may develop into Tropical Storm Edouard. Heavy rain and localized flooding could extend from Texas and Louisiana through Tampa and Orlando.
Prosecutors said participants deliberately caused highway collisions, claimed injuries and sought insurance payouts. Dashcam footage captured two of the staged crashes.
IIHS researchers found telematics detected cellphone use before crashes at least seven times as often as police reports, highlighting a potential evidence gap in auto claims involving distracted driving.
Flooding, landslides, powerful winds and widespread power outages damaged homes and infrastructure across Hawaii, with officials beginning damage assessments as the storm moves away.
Researchers found a vulnerability affecting dealer-installed KARR and related vehicle security systems sold primarily through Southern California dealerships. The manufacturer has issued a firmware update, but vehicle owners must install it through the mobile app.
A bipartisan legislative effort would create a federal crime for intentionally staging crashes involving commercial trucks, giving prosecutors a direct tool to pursue organized fraud rings while insurers push for stronger deterrents.
A Massachusetts jury awarded a record $56 million to a Newburyport man who suffered catastrophic injuries after an Amazon delivery driver fell asleep and crossed the center line. Amazon had already admitted liability, leaving damages as the only issue for the jury.
Nearly 270 investigators from 55 agencies completed specialized training on staged crashes, fraud investigations, and financial crimes as New York prepares to implement new anti-fraud laws aimed at reducing auto insurance costs.
An IIHS study found that Waymo’s Level 4 vehicles had fewer police-reportable and injury crashes per mile than human drivers. Researchers warned that federal crash and mileage reporting must improve as autonomous vehicle fleets expand.
A federal judge ordered restitution after a former Maryland police officer admitted participating in a scheme that used false police reports and staged vehicle thefts to collect insurance payouts. The case also involved multiple law enforcement officers and several major auto insurers.
