An Iredell County man is facing charges of insurance fraud after authorities say he falsely reported that his daughter struck a deer with her car, when in fact, it was a pedestrian she had hit. The North Carolina Department of Insurance announced the arrest of Scott William Hughes, 1067 Saddle Back Lane, Mooresville resident, on charges that involve a serious manipulation of truth to gain insurance money. The incident, which reportedly occurred on September 15, 2024, is said to have been intentionally misrepresented to Central Insurance Company, officials said.
Hughes, according to special agents from the Department's Criminal Investigations Division, initially told the insurance provider that his daughter was involved in an animal collision, when, in reality, the collision involved a human life a day earlier. His reimagining of the event sought benefit from its inherent, albeit grim, confusion – an alteration that would significantly sway the scales of justice and financial responsibility. The North Carolina Department of Insurance emphasized the serious nature of such fraud, citing its impact on consumers' pockets.
Following his arrest on May 27, Hughes was released on a $10,000 secured bond. He made an appearance at the Iredell County District Court on May 30. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey expressed his determination in tackling fraudulent cases like these for the public good. "Insurance fraud hits consumers in the wallet," Causey stated, pointing out that around 20 cents of every dollar paid in insurance premiums goes towards covering the cost of fraud, according to the North Carolina Department of Insurance.
Commissioner Causey’s crusade against insurance fraud is one of the many efforts to protect consumers from the financial strain imposed by such criminal acts. Considering the repercussions of fraud, each deceptive claim chips away at the economic foundation of honest policyholders, thus, mounting the communal strain. "I’m fighting this by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting insurance fraud in North Carolina," Causey said, reinforcing the stance of the North Carolina Department of Insurance.
