Former agent told to cease and desist

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak has issued a cease and desist order to a former insurance agent in Cushing.

Investigators said Mark Lauderdale’s insurance license expired four years ago, but he continued collecting payments for insurance policies without forwarding all of the money to the insurance companies. The scheme left some of his clients without coverage for year, the commissioner’s office said Friday.

Lauderdale’s clients include a small town in Payne County and a senior citizen activity center, but he hasn’t had a valid insurance license since May 31, 2013, the commissioner’s office said. Investigators found he created false documents to convince his clients that they were insured, when in fact they were not. Despite not having a license, Lauderdale advertised his services in the Cushing phone book. He told investigators he had between 300 and 400 active clients.

“Scams like this are extremely upsetting,” Doak said. “We have people making their premium payments like they’re supposed to, thinking they’re protected from financial disaster, but in reality, they’re not. If a fire burns their home to the ground, they’ll be out on the street because the insurance policy they are paying for doesn’t actually exist. This is completely unacceptable.”

Doak said all of Lauderdale’s clients should call their insurance companies directly to confirm whether their policies are legitimate. If they are not, the clients should obtain the necessary coverage then contact the Oklahoma Insurance Department’s AntiFraud Division at 522-6614, Doak said.