Kuderer fines two unlicensed insurers a total of $450,000

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer issued $710,500 in fines in the first four months of 2025 against insurance companies, agents, brokers and unlicensed entities for violating state insurance laws and regulations.

That included fines totaling $450,000 against two unlicensed insurers and a $30,000 fine for a company illegally selling pet insurance.

Kuderer fines unlicensed insurer $250,000

The OIC fined United Benefits Partnership Group (UBPG) $250,000 for acting as an unauthorized insurer by offering unqualified ERISA health plans.

The OIC opened an investigation into UBPG after fining Data Partnership Group $25,000 in 2022 for acting as an unauthorized insurer, and looking into that company’s plan designer, who also designed plans for UBPG.

The plans were effective from 2018 to 2019. UBPG described its plans as a group health plan for its personnel and explained that its benefit plan members were general partners in the organization. ERISA plans must meet federal requirements established in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act; one of those requirements is that plan participants be employed by the plan sponsor.

The people who purchased the UBPG plans said they were not employees or working partners of UBGP and did not perform any employee-like services for UBGP. These individuals purchased UBGP plans while searching for health insurance online and paid monthly premiums ranging from $139 to $1,200.

UBPG, owned by Robert Fey and based in Washington but not registered with the Secretary of State, was also ordered to cease and desist from conducting business in Washington.

Kuderer fines unlicensed surplus lines broker $200,000

The OIC took action against BC Environmental Insurance Brokers — and broker Kevin Woodwick and producer Marc Robicheau — for selling surplus line insurance products without being licensed as a producer or broker for those specific products.

Surplus lines is a specialized line of insurance that provides coverage for risks not covered in the traditional insurance market.

BC Environmental Insurance Brokers was fined $200,000 and ordered to cease and desist from doing business in Washington. The company was licensed to sell property and casualty insurance — but not surplus lines — as of January 2023, but wrote 31 policies in Washington between 2014 and 2021 and collected $675,249 in premiums. It did not pay taxes on those premiums.

Kuderer fines Petcube and Vets Plus More $30,000 for illegally selling pet insurance

Kuderer fined Petcube, Inc. and Vets Plus More $30,000 on March 25, 2025, and ordered both entities to immediately cease and desist from soliciting, engaging, or selling pet insurance products in Washington State.

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner received a complaint from a Washington resident about Petcube alleging it was offering Emergency Vet Protect Club (EVPC) coverage in Washington in January 2024.

Petcube, an unlicensed producer, claimed it was using the term “insurance” in its advertising to communicate that it was selling a pet insurance alternative. Upon further investigation, the OIC found that Petcube’s website advertised “Petcube Pet Insurance” to provide emergency coverage for pets — with an explainer on how EVPC is different from traditional insurance.

Vets Plus More, the company providing the coverage, claimed EVPC is a membership for telehealth services, though the OIC’s review showed EVPC constituted insurance.

Vets Plus More sold 113 EVCP subscriptions to Washington customers, generating $7,407 in premiums without paying the required taxes. Petcube, meanwhile, earned $17,787 in revenue — $8,939 of which was profit — from its unlicensed transactions.

Additional fines

ASI Underwriters Corp, St. Petersburg, Fla.; fined $16,000 (order 25-0024).

• ASI Underwriters acted as a managing general agent without insurer designation or appointment.

American Strategic Insurance Corp., Carmel, Indiana; fined $75,000 (order 25-0023).

• The company failed to use its legal name to conduct business and used a non-designated, non-appointed managing general agent.

Acrisure, LLC (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and licensees Christopher Felton (Riverside, Cal.) and Larry Gregg (Longview, Wash.); fined $25,000 (order 25-0015).

• Acrisure, LLC, doing business as Falcon Insurance Agency, failed to notify the OIC of its use an assumed name; Acrisure, LLC and Gregg accepted business from an unlicensed producer; and Felton transacted business without a license.

Central States Indemnity Company of Omaha, Omaha, Neb.; fined $30,000 (order 24-0301).

• The company sold policies covering irrigation equipment without first filing rules and rates.

Dentegra Insurance Company, Wilmington, Del.; fined $25,000 (order 24-0297).

• The company failed to use its legal name, failed to include or correctly list its NAIC number, and submitted late responses to complaints.

Farmers Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Warwick, R.I.; fined $50,000 (order 24-0285).

• Farmers applied incorrect Protection Class factors on 3,015 home insurance policies between March of 2022 and January of 2023.

Maple Shade Assurance, LLC, Nashville, Tenn.; fined $5,000 (order 25-0041).

• The company operated as a captive insurer in Washington without registering with the OIC.

St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota; fined $3,500 (order 25-0027).

• The school issued charitable gift annuities without prior filings and approval from the OIC.

Bastian Blumig, Spokane, Wash.; fined $500 (order 25-011).

Gordon Tilden Thomas & Cordell; fined $500 (order 25-0009).

About the office 

Kuderer’s office oversees Washington’s insurance industry to ensure that individuals, companies, agents, and brokers follow state laws designed to protect consumers. Since 2001, the office has assessed more than $42 million in fines, which are directed to the state’s general fund to pay for state services. 

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner publishes disciplinary orders against companies, agents and brokers. Consumers can also look up complaints against insurance companies.  

For an insurance question or complaint, you may contact Kuderer’s consumer advocates online or by phone at 800-562-6900.