Three people have been arrested in an insurance fraud caseinvolving the theft of thousands of dollars in auto insurancepremiums. Suspects Bella Jenkins, Torrance Blake and DavidBall of Insurance Plus in Temple Terrace surrendered to authoritiesand were charged with insurance fraud and selling insurance withouta license.

In August 2010, the Florida Department of Financial Services,Division of Insurance Fraud, began an investigation into theagency. The division acted after receiving complaints thatcustomers were given automobile insurance coverage quotes by phoneonly to have the price for the coverage increase greatly at thetime of purchase. Many customers paid the additional money and leftthe agency believing that they had insurance coverage with eitherKingswayAmigo Insurance Co. in Miami or Security National InsuranceCo.

Customers later learned that they had no coverage, either bygetting pulled over for a traffic violation and being told thattheir license was suspended for not having insurance, or by gettingnotices from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and MotorVehicles advising of the lack of coverage. Furtherinvestigation determined that payments customers made were neversent to Kingsway Amigo or Security National. 

The victims stated that Jenkins, the owner of the business and alicensed insurance agent, was not present when they went to theagency, and that Ball and Blake conducted insurance business withconsumers without the required licenses. 

All suspects were booked into Hillsborough County jail andreleased on bond. If convicted, they each face up to five years inprison per charge.