Man accused of buying auto insurance from scene of car wreck

[Teh One Who Knocks]

The Associated Press


http://i.imgur.com/3KHEsog.jpg

Authorities say a Pennsylvania man called an insurance company from a crash scene to buy auto coverage and later claimed his wreck happened after he got the policy.

The Altoona Mirror reports that the insurance fraud charges filed this week against 33-year-old Michael Traveny stem from an Aug. 21 crash in Duncansville.

State prosecutors say Traveny didn't have insurance when he crashed that night so he called Safe Auto Insurance from the scene and purchased coverage without mentioning the wreck.

Prosecutors say Traveny filed a $3,900 claim the next day claiming the crash happened after the policy took effect.

Online court records don't list an attorney for Traveny. He faces a preliminary hearing March 17.

[Hal-9000]

old boss always warned me (his wife was in insurance for over 30 years)

always check off the 'use for work' portion no matter how much extra it is on the policy (usually not much)

sure enough I got creamed leaving the parking lot of my old work location and the adjuster said that if I had recreational use only on the policy, they would have pursued it and not paid..even when the other driver was at complete fault

[Noilly Pratt]

In BC you're allowed so many days out of a calendar month (2?) to use your car for work when you insure for pleasure use...

[Hal-9000]

my policy at the time was a little more black and white with work vs recreation, one or the other...

the adjuster was pretty forthcoming..he said that quite a few people have collisions on their work commute while holding a recreation use policy, and they go to some lengths to establish if the person was traveling to or from work

we may have that grace period but I'm not aware of it

[Teh One Who Knocks]

All they really ask here is one of two things, (A) do you use your vehicle FOR work or (B) is the primary use for driving back and forth to work/leisure purposes

[Hal-9000]

yeah same here...they do make a point of (B) though..

[Hal-9000]

old boss had lots of stories about how people tried to screw the system and how the insurance companies go to lengths not to pay the holder....his wife worked all aspects of insurance

she was even involved in the stereotypical sting operations for fraud...ever heard the stories about - You have won! and they have prizes the people can pick up? She sat in an office with a TV placed on shelf a little higher than waist high. She's a small lady and asked the guy if he wouldn't mind carrying the TV himself after he filled out some paperwork. Bam, over a year of disability payments from a supposed injury from a car accident and a new fraud charge on the guy's record :lol: They video taped the entire thing.

[DemonGeminiX]

Damn. :lol:

[Hal-9000]

I knew her well and spoke to her often in person...she said - brand new TV complete with price tag, false paperwork and office area set up/rented miles away from the insurance offices....:lol:

I guess they don't mess around on long term disability payments....oh and she also said the mook not only lifted the TV from the shelf out to his car, he held it with one hand while using the keys in the trunk :rofl:

[deebakes]

:doh: