An Iowa contractor has been charged with acting as a public adjuster without a license and insurance fraud.
Joseph Starr, 39, of Rockwell, was charged with two counts of acting as a public adjuster without a license and one count of insurance fraud.
The charges followed an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau. Criminal complaints filed by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau allege Starr was an employee of Sibling Construction accused of engaging in multiple acts of unlicensed public adjusting.
Starr allegedly negotiated insurance claims on behalf of clients with both Farm Bureau Financial Services and Osage Insurance and submitted invoices for compensation for work that had not yet been completed.
Starr was arrested and booked at the Cerro Gordo County Jail on March 27.
Iowa law restricts a contractor completing the repairs from acting as a public adjuster on an insurance claim.
Farmers Insurance has announced a plan to grow its agency force over the next year, and expects to appoint nearly 1,700 new agency owners—one of the largest single-year expansions in Farmers’ history.
The recruitment drive is aimed at fueling organic growth and revitalizing the insurer’s distribution network. As part of the plan, Farmers is launching a new Elite Owner Program to attract high-net-worth agency owners with added support and financial incentives for rapid scaling.
“We’re doubling down on the entrepreneur model to drive our next chapter of growth,” said Ken Walton, president of distribution at Farmers. “This is about thinking big and moving fast. By onboarding 1,700 new agency owners — including an Elite tier of well-capitalized business leaders seeking to build or expand their portfolio — we’ll be injecting fresh energy into our distribution force.”
Farmers said the Elite program will “significantly ramp up agency appointments across the country” by bringing in owners with at least $500,000 in capital. They will be eligible for tiered levels of escalating benefits, such as enhanced support lines, priority service assistance, and additional startup and marketing incentives.