Comments on: “I realized that there was no way that we could continue to pay claims”

By: Reunion V Updates July 2010 | Medicalreunion's Blog

Reunion V Updates July 2010 | Medicalreunion's Blog — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:16:08 +0000

[...] Watson told me his policies were a “benefit services contract” — not insurance — and that he clearly represented them as such. “I ceased operations when I realized that there was no way that we could continue to pay claims based on the incoming revenues,” he says, adding, “I have no plans to leave Colorado and I do not have any intentions of operating any type of travel protection company.” You can see the full text of our interview here. [...]

By: So where should I buy my travel insurance?

So where should I buy my travel insurance? — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:11:49 +0000

[...] Read this if you don’t believe me. [...]

By: desiree golembiewski

desiree golembiewski — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:01:36 +0000

We even have the ORIGINAL brochures sent out can someone please xplain to me the connection between trip assured and vacationprotection?
Did the company in Crossville set up shop in Colorado?
And does anyone know of a website where we can verify if these are valid insurance companies

By: desiree golembiewski

desiree golembiewski — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:56:10 +0000

We were informed by Vacationprotectionservices.com that they were underwritten by Loyd’s of London. Jerry Watson refused to take my calls on several occasions when we had extreme service issues with his agents. Jerry Watson has also bounced several checks to my company. We had a similar issue a few years ago with a company called TRIPASSURED.COM in Crossville TN. The owner “MACK” also claimed he was underwritten. As President of Vacationsbysea.com I have personally authorized the the REBOOKING/REPURCHASE of all vacation insurance policies at OUR expense to insure that OUR guests are protected. All of our clients that purchased trip insurance from Vacationprotection will be insured at our expense by CSA Travel Protection in San Diego. I truly believe there should be better monitoring of insurance comapanies.

Desiree Golembiewski
President
vacationsbysea.com

By: Ross Jordan

Ross Jordan — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:54:21 +0000

Sounds a lot like insurance to me

By: 6 tips to avoid travel insurance scams - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:16:37 +0000

[...] operating any type of travel protection company." You can see the full text of our interview here. Insurance or not, how do you avoid buying a policy that can’t — or won’t — cover you? Here are [...]

By: tripso.com | Fake travel insurance? 6 questions to ask before buying a policy

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:50:00 +0000

[...] I asked Jerry Watson, a principal for the travel insurance companies in question, about the allegations made against his companies and several other now-defunct businesses he worked with that sold travel protection policies. Watson told me his policies were a “benefit services contract” — not insurance — and that he clearly represented them as such. “I ceased operations when I realized that there was no way that we could continue to pay claims based on the incoming revenues,” he says, adding, “I have no plans to leave Colorado and I do not have any intentions of operating any type of travel protection company.” You can see the full text of our interview here. [...]

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:59:09 +0000

I think dumbfounded has a point. (March 10, 2009)

If the Fed’s are unable to pursue criminal charges against the Travel Agencies that sold an unlicensed and illegal insurance product and are only able to issue cease & desist orders to stop selling an unlicensed and illegal insurance product through the Ag. Dept of the State of Florida, then maybe the Feds should consider and pursue Mail Fraud charges. Mail Fraud by definition is precise. Many white collar criminals (particularly financial crimes) are prosecuted via Mail Fraud charges because it is easier to prove and the end result is the same: the bad guy or girl gets to go to prison. A happy ending for all who have been lied to, swindled, scammed and/or victimized by greedy business owners.

The definition of Mail Fraud is: (direct from the USPS website)

” U.S. Postal Inspectors investigate any crime in which the U.S. Mail is used to further a scheme–whether it originated in the mail, by telephone, or on the Internet. The use of the U.S. Mail is what makes it mail fraud. ”

If ANYONE received their illegal and unlicensed insurance policy via the United States Postal Service, then by definition, Mail Fraud has been committed.

Something to consider…Fla. investigators – are you reading this?

By: Hamilton

Hamilton — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:54:25 +0000

James of course is right (March 9th at 10:22 am). Jerry Watson all but admitted that he was operating a Ponzi Scheme when he said that he could no longer pay the claims “based on the incoming revenues”. This is, on a smaller scale, the same dead end where Bernie Madoff found himself.

Ironically enough, the latter had made so much money that he couldn’t slip away unnoticed. On the other hand, Mr. Watson seems to think that he can still get out of the business and retire on a millionaire’s budget. Thus we have his newest idea, a five-year plan in which he will use his own money to pay off a few claims here and there while he plans his exit strategy. It would be interesting to know if these brainstorms come to him spontaneously or if he actually spends time thinking them up. At any rate it won’t work because he has attracted way too much attention to himself, thanks primarily to this blog.

Looking at it realistically though, probably the best the Florida authorities can do is to order the travel agencies to stop selling his policies. It’s the feds that will have to put Mr. Watson away, and whether they decide to do so or not remains to be seen.

By: Joe Crump

Joe Crump — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:32:22 +0000

IMHO if you steal a car and you go to jail. Steal millions of dollars from unsuspecting consumers and you are a CEO.

By: James

James — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:25:00 +0000

I forgot the fourth company…Traveler Protection Services. Here they are in chronological order:

Trip Assured (Cease and Desist, 9/06 Florida and multiple states)
Vacation Protection Services (Cease and Desist, 12/06 Tennessee)
Traveler Protection Services (Cease and Desist, 5/08 Tennessee)
Prime Travel Protection (Pending)

By: James

James — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:22:04 +0000

David wrote:

“Mr Watson, Mr Smolinski, Mr Russo, Mr Mass Mr Ferguson

Florida insurance or investigation departments are not scrutinising a claim or denial of such. They are investigating:-

An unauthorised entity unlicensed to sell insurance in Florida – PTP.

Agencies selling unlicensed insurance in Florida – Travel Agents
End of story.”

No, it’s not the end of the story. They are also investigating travel agencies who sold unlicensed insurance from two (Trip Assured and Vacation Protection Services); three (Trip Assured, Vacation Protection Services and Traveler Protection Services) and four (Trip Assured, Vacation Protection Services and Prime Travel Protection) different companies.

By: Confused

Confused — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:18:27 +0000

Now I’m really CONFUSED. Someone please explain Smolinski, Palm Coast Travel and Smartcruiser. Are they one in the same?

By: Confused

Confused — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:16:49 +0000

I posted a couple of comments on the earlier blog and have been following this most recent blog and the comments by Jerry Watson. My first comment on the previous blog was directed to Peter Lay who was blasting Lee Smolinski of Palm Coast Travel. His post rambled on and as I wrote it was like a dog trying to catch his tail. After reading the posts above, I see your point, Peter – you were had by this company. The other issues you mentioned are still confusing, but you were sold an illegal trip protection plan by a company that had a track record of selling the same to others through another illegal company. Good luck and I hope the state of Florida files a criminal action against Smolinski and his company.

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:56:17 +0000

I am a victim of PTP and Smartcruiser. I DID contact the American Arbitration Association by telephone. After a long and detailed discussion they considered the PTP protection was in fact insurance and as the issuer was not licensed to sell insurance they could not arbitrate. They referred me to Colorado and Florida state regulators.

I know others who also contacted AAA.