Battle Ground man charged with insurance fraud

Posted

A Battle Ground man was one of three people recently charged with automotive insurance fraud in Washington following investigations by the state insurance commissioner’s criminal investigation unit.

On June 7, the office of Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler announced the charges. Among them, Pavel Kovalev, of Battle Ground, was charged by the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office for false claims or proof and second-degree attempted theft. 

According to the office’s announcement, Kovalev was involved in a two-vehicle collision in April 2019 when he did not have insurance. Kovalev called Progressive to add his vehicle to an existing policy after the accident, not telling the insurance provider what had just happened. Progressive later discovered Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene about a half hour before the call, proving a lack of insurance at the time of the accident.

Progressive denied Kovalev’s claim for $3,730 and referred the claim to the criminal investigation unit, the release stated.

Other claims included in the release focused on a San Juan County case where an individual reported vehicle damage of more than $6,000 that existed before they purchased the vehicle, and a case in Spokane County where the insurance company learned through another involved driver that an individual reinstated a policy after a collision, denying a claim of about $12,500.



Insurance fraud costs the average family $400 to $700 per year in increased premiums, the release stated. Insurance companies are required by law to report fraud to the commissioner.