Business

ADIS revokes local insurance agent's license

By NEIL YOUNG/The Daily News

Saturday, September 15, 2007 11:36 PM CDT

BULLHEAD CITY - The Arizona Department of Insurance has revoked the license of former Farmers Insurance Group agent Jamie Lee Eberhardt. She operated an agency at 2135 Highway 95 in Bullhead City before closing earlier this year.

In a Consent Order signed on July 18 by Christina Urias, Arizona's director of insurance, a Finding of Fact stated: “Between September 2006 and May 2007, Respondent failed to remit $16,251 in premiums to Farmers and/or used current cash premium payments to cover prior cash premium shortages.”

Eberhardt waived her rights to a hearing and any court appeals. It's possible for her to apply for a new license after one year but “It is very unlikely if you have been revoked that you would be successful at applying for a new license,” said Erin Klug, Department of Insurance spokeswoman.

Eberhardt would be required to re-take the test, apply and pay fees again before the insurance department would even consider her application, Klug said.

If the license application were to be denied, Eberhardt could request a hearing, according to Klug.

So far this year, the department has revoked 21 licenses, suspended 15 and imposed civil penalties in eight cases with no suspension or revocation. Some of the civil activity is for selling insurance without a license, Klug said.

There are more than 130,000 licensed insurance agents in Arizona. More than half are out-of-state agents, she said. “Could be a Geico employee in Minnesota, but because they answer an ‘800' number, an Arizona resident could be calling that 800 number and want to talk about buying insurance,” Klug said, “and that individual in Minnesota would have to be licensed to transact in Arizona, so they would need an Arizona license.”

Farmers Insurance group Media Relations Director Jerry Davies declined comment on the case, other than to say it's in the hands of Farmers' legal department.