McIntosh County Insurance agent charged with fraud

April 04--A McIntosh County auto insurance agent was allegedly keeping the money he collected from customers, leaving them uninsured and their premiums unpaid, according to the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

Dennis Calvin Avera, 35, was arrested Tuesday and charged with three counts of insurance fraud. McIntosh County Sheriff's Office deputies accompanied Deputy Insurance Commissioner Jay Florence to arrest Avera at his home, 1027 O'Cain Ave., which also served as his office.

Avera also had his insurance agent license revoked, Florence said.

Avera operated Sapelo Insurance Agency, Florence said. Avera allegedly took money intended for premium payments from at least three clients, keeping the money for himself instead, Florence said. He suspects Avera may have allegedly duped other customers as well.

"He was basically taking premiums and not passing them along to the insurance company," said Florence. "So people thought they had paid their insurance policy and they were driving around uninsured."

"There were three cases that we know of," he added. "If he's done it three times, there is a chance he did more of it."

Florence urges those who suspect they may also have been swindled to contact their insurance carrier, or to call the Insurance Commissioner's Office at 800-656-2298

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