CHARLESTON, WV – West Virginia Insurance Commissioner, Jane L. Cline, announced today that a Cabell County woman, Pamela Kay Copley, age 37 of Huntington, was arrested on February 12, 2008 and was arraigned on two (2) felony counts for filing a fraudulent claim with an insurance company. Ms. Copley is alleged to have filed a fraudulent insurance claim on two separate occasions involving a hit and run on her 2000 Chevrolet truck in June of 2005 and a stolen vehicle claim for the truck in November 2005. Ms. Copley was arraigned and released on a $5,000 bond pending a preliminary hearing. If convicted, Ms. Copley faces a one (1) to ten (10) year sentence in a state penitentiary and a fine of up to $10,000 or both.
Commissioner Cline stated; “Fraudulent claims for benefits effect every consumer not only in regard to their insurance premiums, but in the cost of all goods and services. The public needs to be aware they pay for the insurance fraud that is being committed and we need their help in having instances of fraud reported to our office. People can call 1-800-779-6853 to report fraud or go online at http://www.wvinsurance.gov/ and click on the fraud link to fill out a questionnaire.”