On Saturday, February 3rd, Michele Krisle, owner of TSK Exteriors roofing company in St. Cloud, was arrested after an investigation was performed in conjunction with Florida Peninsula Insurance Company’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU). Ms. Krisle was arrested on counts of Scheme to Defraud, Fraudulent Lien, Grand Theft, and False and Fraudulent Insurance Claim after she presented Florida Peninsula with a false invoice for services which were not completed.
A Florida Peninsula policyholder hired Krisle’s company, TSK Exteriors, to make repairs on his roof. TSK Exteriors attempted to have the insured sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) form to seek additional monies from Florida Peninsula after the roof repair was complete. When the insured refused to sign the AOB, TSK Exteriors filed a lien against the policyholder’s home for over $17,000. Subsequently, the policyholder reported a roof leak to TSK after their repairs were completed. TSK refused to honor their warranty on the previous work until the insured signed an AOB or the lien was satisfied. Although TSK Exteriors confirmed receipt of the original payment from Florida Peninsula, the company claimed an additional $39,000 for “alleged” work completed. Krisle was previously arrested in December 2017 on similar charges. WFTV recently reported on this story.
This case stresses the importance of homeowners understanding the impact of insurance and AOB fraud. This has become a prevalent problem throughout our State over the past few years and is leading to increases in premiums. Read more on How to Identify and Avoid AOB Fraud and learn how you can fight back against this type of abuse in Florida.
Insurance fraud is a serious offense. If you suspect fraud, please report it immediately to the Department Financial Services at 877-693-5236. To report suspected fraud on a Florida Peninsula policy, call 866-923-5236. To report suspected fraud on a Florida Peninsula policy, call 866-923-2920 or email REPORTFRAUD@FLORIDAPENINSULA.COM.
