When the words “flood damage” come to mind, many think of damaged basements and ruined carpet. A 25-year-old Iowa man, however, claimed he suffered from what many people this spring have had to deal with after the devastating storms: a damaged vehicle.
Douglas McKim, of Colfax County, Iowa, filed a claim after his vehicle was allegedly damaged from area flooding in August of 2010. Those allegations were deemed false, however, and McKim will now have to fork over some cash rather than receiving any from an insurance payout.
Additionally, investigation by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau revealed there may be others involved in filing false claims after the flooding as well.
Right now, McKim is facing a class D felony, which comes with a $750 to $7,500 price tag and up to 5 years in jail. Perhaps McKim has learned that the real damage that comes from a false flood claim is only to one’s wallet and freedom.
