Feature "Suspected " Fraud: Tower Group Insurance

An incident occurred on Sunday, August 29, 2010 only 5 minutes in to the day (just after midnight Saturday night) involving what appears to be a run-away 18 wheeler at a very high rate of speed (anticipated to be at/near 100 mph) that slammed in to a law abiding driver's vehicle.  The victims in the accident were towing a trailered vehicle.  Misrepresentation and fraud appeared to be present at the wreck/scene wherein the driver of the 18 wheeler Frank R. Delgado (Yera) gave false evidence of insurance coverage at the scene.  Delgado was driving a truck said to be owned/operated by Osmar Oliva.  Fraud at the scene was followed by poor investigation of the loss.  Meanwhile, the insurance company DENIED liability in the high speed rear-end collision, and lied repeatedly about their reasoning behind it.  When advised that they were operating in bad faith and committing fraud they ignored the advices. The CEO and home office of the parent company (Tower Group) was involved.  The CEO Michael Lee of Tower Group apparently had someone respond and endorse the behavior on his behalf out of New York.  The respondent Lowell Aptman backed/endorsed the unlawful behavior of the claims personnel operating under the guidance of John R. Pecoraro of Tower Group/CastlePoint from their Miami office.  At the time Pecoraro was working at what appears to be some form of shell of protection for the parent company, but since Pecoraro has been promoted to a position over all claims activity for the state.  

Pecoraro, Michael Lee, and others were advised of the fraud.  The unlawful behavior continued.  Filings to the state agencies are seen at the right side bar of this page.  They continued filing what appears to be deceptive filings to the State Commissioner of Insurance in Florida, and placed the deceptions (fraud) in the U.S. mail, thus committing Federal Mail fraud.  This not only looks to me like a premeditated process and way of doing business, it looks to me like a corporate pattern or culture of fraud.  Following numerous notifications in writing acknowledged by Tower Group, it seemingly indicates they knowingly, willingly, and purposefully committed the acts, and advocate abuse of the legal system it appears by insisting the only course of action is civil litigation.  Legal filings (See right of this page) in the Florida system have been initiated and additional filings in Florida, New York, and Federal courts are anticipated.  Evidences to support the loss are contained herein, with links to much of the pertinent information on the Internet. 

As the website www.FraudDocumentation.com is further developed additional documents and correspondences will be made public. 

A chronology of these and related events can be found at: CHRONOLOGY

The victims of the crash were abused physically at the crash scene by the horrific event, and have been insulted, abused, and lied to by the claims personnel since the event.  They continue to press on with substantial permanent and personal damages.  The tactics of the Tower Group family of companies appear to offend virtually every legal code within the state of Florida.  It seems a matter of their course of business, because thus far a filing has been made against everyone who has touched the file on behalf of the group.  Class action litigation may be in order, with state, interstate, and federal investigations warranted.

Multiple state filings or "Civil Remedy" filings have been made pursuant to Florida State Law (See links right and links to personnel.  Additional links and information to be released).  The Florida state system for these filings requests victims wait 60 days for the violator/insurance company to attempt to address or resolve the issues.  Thus far multiple filings have attracted nothing but ridicule and abuses from the claims manager Pecoraro.  Pecoraro has stooped as low as making fun of what was considered  a deaf, mute, comatose victim of the crash, and continues his stance and approach using fraud, attempted fraud, and numerous tactics appearing to operate in "bad faith".  His staff members have been sent copies of Florida Insurance ethics code and Florida Insurance Law, because they do not seem to operate with knowledge of this code.

Rather than mitigating losses for his client company Pecoraro has drastically increased their exposure.  Fraud typically has no statute of limitations, no limit of liability, and the violations committed by the offender in no way affect the loss itself.  Tower Group and CastlePoint still remain liable, but their exposure seems to have mushroomed to cover all their companies, subsidiaries, directors and stocks.

CastlePoint/Tower Group utilized what now appears somewhat like a "shell company" called Aequicap to handle their claims.  Aequicap appears to have gone in to bankruptcy in Febuary 2011, and Tower Group appears to have taken over their book or business, AND hired the claims handlers who had already been reported to Tower Group for their behavior.  Since the frauds and notifications of fraud and fraudulent dealings, Tower Group has hired and promoted the people whom had previously committed these acts under their employ.  The behavior continues (apparently) with the full knowledge and oversight of the Board of Directors and parent company, Tower Group.  It looks like a pattern of business and their corporate culture.  The victim went to New York and notified the General Counsel (Elliot S Orol) and other board members and directors.  They have failed to respond.

May 2011 ethics and code of conduct investigations requested via CPCU, SCLA, DBPR, Attorney General, District Attorneys, and the State of Florida regarding John R. Pecoraro and his endorsements.

For the many violations and obvious failures of CastlePoint and Tower Group to address these issues we have decided to feature this loss as our opening "feature" company.

Following this venture, www.FraudDocumentation.com will be available for franchise opportunities or be "for sale" to someone wishing to develop the concept further.

Key Milestones (Go to "Correspondence")