North Dakota Agent Permanently Barred From Selling Insurance

An administrative law judge in North Dakota has made permanent a cease and desist order issued by Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm against insurance producer Frederick Paul Skoda, formerly of Fargo, N.D., now of Detroit Lakes, Minn.

The Dec. 26, 2013, order, upheld on April 28, bars Skoda from engaging in the business of insurance directly or indirectly.

The order alleges Skoda for committed insurance fraud by filing multiple applications for insurance policies for individuals that never wanted the insurance. The applications included those for both life insurance and homeowners insurance and were submitted to Country Financial, according to court documents.

Between Jan 1, 2013, and Nov. 7, 2013, Skoda was said to have forged policyholder signatures to documents and provided inaccurate information to his employer to manipulate premium payments. Skoda benefitted financially from these actions through increased commissions.

The administrative law judge rendered a decision after Skoda requested a hearing on the cease and desist order.

Because Skoda also held a Minnesota non-resident agent license, the North Dakota Insurance Department worked closely with the Minnesota Department of Commerce on this case.

Skoda had held a license resident producer license in North Dakota since Aug. 26, 2011.

Source: North Dakota Insurance Department