Lack of insurance leads to fraudulent claim

HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Harrisonburg, Va., man found out the hard way the best time to buy full insurance coverage for a vehicle is before a crash – not after. Matthew Alther was arrested for attempted insurance fraud, found guilty and had to shell out more than $1,100 to cover fines and court costs.

Around 3 a.m. on May 7, 2004, Alther dozed off while driving to work, drifted off the highway and struck a guard rail. He decided not to go to work and returned home. Since the insurance coverage on his vehicle was for liability only and would not pay for the repairs to his car, Alther contacted his insurance company around 9 a.m. to obtain a quote to add full coverage. He then called back about an hour later to add the coverage. Approximately an hour after gaining full coverage, Alther called the insurance company back to submit a claim for the damage to his vehicle that resulted from his having fallen asleep while driving.

The claim was investigated by Insurance Fraud Special Agent Dennis Dodson, with the Virginia State Police. Alther was subsequently arrested and charged with Attempting to Obtain Money under False Pretense. He pled guilty, and his fines and court costs totaled $1,172. Alther was also sentenced to 60 days in jail, all suspended, and one year unsupervised probation.

The Virginia State Police is committed to "Stamp Out" insurance fraud occurring in the Commonwealth. If you have knowledge of a fraudulent insurance scheme or suspect you may have been the victim of insurance fraud, report the activity to Virginia State Police Insurance Fraud Program on the insurance fraud hotline at 1-877-62FRAUD (1-877-623-7283) or visit www.stampoutfraud.com. You may also be eligible to receive a reward of up to $25,000.