TDCI Issues Cease and Desist Orders Against Unlicensed Insurance Providers

Department Urges Consumers to Verify Licenses of Insurance Providers Before Purchasing Policies
Friday, May 18, 2018 | 12:20pm

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) is warning consumers about Tennessee residents Johnny Ray Jackson and Richard Wayne Davis, Jr., who have a history of using fraudulent practices to sell insurance in order to scam unsuspecting consumers.

The Department recently issued Cease and Desist orders against Jackson on April 24, 2018 and Davis on April 25, 2018.  The Orders require that Jackson, who has employed the aliases of “Johnny Tucker” and “John Jay Tucker,” and Mr. Davis cease and desist from any insurance-related activity in the State of Tennessee, including but not limited to, the solicitation, sale, or negotiation of insurance.  In earlier separate actions, TDCI revoked the licenses of both Jackson and Davis.

“As the regulator for Tennessee’s insurance providers, I am urging consumers to not engage with either Mr. Jackson or Mr. Davis when purchasing insurance,” said TDCI Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “Both men have a proven history of noncompliance with Tennessee’s insurance laws, and neither former agent is licensed to sell insurance in this state. Remember: Impersonating a licensed professional is a felony in Tennessee.”

In an effort to better inform consumers, the Department is sharing the following disciplinary history of both former licensees:

Johnny Ray Jackson (Hermitage, TN): Jackson’s license was revoked on October 26, 1999, for wrongfully altering dates on his clients’ policies, failing to timely and properly remit his clients’ premium payments to insurance companies, and failing to timely reimburse his clients’ premiums.  Despite the revocation of his license, in 2013, Mr. Jackson established and began to operate an insurance agency, Senior Security, LLC, with Forrest J. McDole, now deceased. Jackson also has known associations with Southern Alliance of Tennessee, LLC and Senior Health and Wealth Management, LLC. Through Senior Security, Jackson has continued engage in the illegal sale of insurance without a producer’s license in Tennessee as recently as late 2017.  Additionally, Jackson engaged in insurance fraud by soliciting and selling an insurance product under false pretenses and forgery and misappropriation by altering checks in the course of insurance business. In October 2016, Jackson was fined $44,400 in a case that he is currently contesting.

Richard Wayne Davis, Jr. (Winchester, TN): Davis’ license was summarily suspended on June 5, 2015.  Despite the suspension of his license, Davis wrote 21 life insurance applications between June 22, 2015 and August 20, 2015.  As a result of these actions, his license was revoked on November 18, 2015, and pursuant to the April 25, 2018 order, Davis was assessed a civil penalty of $7,500.  Additionally, he pleaded guilty to seven counts of impersonating a licensed professional and is currently incarcerated. In April 2018, he began serving a 10-year jail sentence in the Franklin County Jail (Nine years on probation with 11 months and 29 days to serve).

TDCI Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak said: “We have sought and will continue to seek any and all available remedies against Mr. Jackson and Mr. Davis in the name of consumer protection.  We encourage any Tennessean that has conducted insurance business through Mr. Jackson or Mr. Davis to contact our offices at 615-741-5900.”

The Department encourages Tennesseans to make sure the insurance agent they utilize is properly licensed. Use the online license verification service available at the Department’s website to quickly and easily check the license status of any insurance agent or entity.

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