On Nov. 28, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis and theFlorida Department of Financial Services (DFS) announced the recentarrest of Renee De La Maza for insurance fraud and grand theftfollowing her attempt to file a damage claim against a newinsurance policy. This claim was filed after already receiving a$60,000 insurance payout from her former insurance provider for thesame damages.

“As Florida continues to recover from an active hurricaneseason, many homeowners across the state are navigating their waythrough the claims-filing process and making repairs to theirproperty,” said CFO Jimmy Patronis in a statement. “Insurance fraud can drive up insurance ratesfor our consumers so our message is simple: If you plan to stealfrom your insurance company or engage in fraudulent activity, beprepared to face swift action from our state investigators.”

The insurance provider became suspicious of Maza’s claim filingsand contacted investigators with DFS’ Bureau of InsuranceFraud.

Related: Florida to deploy anti-fraud strike teams in Hurricane Irmaaftermath

First claim in 2005

The investigators conducted an in-depth review and confirmed thatMaza initially filed an insurance claim in 2005 with her previousinsurance provider after her home received water damages fromHurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Shortly after the claim wasfiled, Maza received more than $60,000 to make the appropriaterepairs to her home.

Five years later, the investigators found, Maza filed asupplemental claim for damages that were not previously included inher claim from 2005. However, the insurance company denied the 2010claim of damage based on similarities to the damages alreadyreported in the 2005 claim. Maza made very few repairs to the homefollowing the 2005 claim, the insurance company found.

Related: Attorneys agree to plead guilty in auto insurancefraud

Second claim in 2015

The investigation showed that in 2015, Maza created a new policywith a different insurance provider, and she filed an insuranceclaim for wind and rain damage that allegedly occurred in July2015. Maza submitted a proof of loss to her insurance company forapproximately $43,500 in damages. Maza’s insurance company offeredto repair the alleged damages, but Maza chose not to accept theoption of repair. Maza’s claim was denied after refusal ofrepair.

In August 2015, Maza submitted another claim to the newinsurance provider for alleged water damages for the same areaslisted in Maza’s July 2015 claim. But, this time she filed herclaim for an estimated $178,200 in damages.

Maza’s prior claims for damages were never disclosed to her newinsurance provider, and the claims she made in 2015 were almostidentical to the claims she made in 2005 and 2010, theinvestigation found, leading investigators to believe the 2015claims were fictitious and filed in an attempt to fraudulentlycollect an additional insurance payout.

Maza was arrested Oct. 30, 2017, by DFS’ Bureau of InsuranceFraud detectives and was charged with filing a false and fraudulentinsurance claim, application fraud and grand theft for endeavoringto steal $178,200 from her insurance company.

This case is being prosecuted by the Office of State AttorneyKatherine Fernandez Rundle. If convicted, Maza could face up to 60years in prison.

Related: Miami insurance agent charged with creating fake insurancepolicies