Calif. Department of Insurance: Yuba City Resident Convicted and Sentenced After Committing Auto Fraud

SAN MATEO, California, Sept. 24 -- The California Department of Insurance issued the following news release:

Derek James Rudd, 48, of Yuba City, was convicted and sentenced last week to 10 days in county jail, two years court probation and ordered to pay a restitution fine of $245 after pleading no contest to one misdemeanor count of insurance fraud.

On September 23, 2014, Rudd lost control of his 2014 Audi Q5 while exiting Highway 101 and collided with a light pole in the parking lot of a hotel in South San Francisco. His vehicle was not driveable and towed from the scene. An investigation found that the day after this collision occurred, September 24, 2014, Rudd obtained an insurance policy because his previous policy with a different insurer had become ineffective on September 9, 2014, due to nonpayment.

On September 30, 2014, Rudd reported to his insurer that he was involved in collision on September 24, 2014, alleging he attempted to avoid another vehicle, swerved then lost control of the vehicle, and collided with a guard rail. According to Rudd's version, the collision occurred five hours after the inception of his insurance policy, which the investigation found to be untrue.

As a result of Rudd's misrepresentation the claim was denied by his insurer before any losses occurred. This case was prosecuted by the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

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The California Department of Insurance, established in 1868, is the largest consumer protection agency in California. Insurers collect $310 billion in premiums annually in California. Since 2011 the California Department of Insurance received more than 1,000,000 calls from consumers and helped recover over $469 million in claims and premiums. Please visit the Department of Insurance website at www.insurance.ca.gov. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800.927.4357. Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDD), please dial 800.482.4833.