Tom Hanks Sues Insurance Agent

LOS ANGELES (CN) - Tom Hanks and others claim their insurance agent, Jerry B. Goldman / J.B. Goldman Insurance Agency, "fraudulently overcharged" for premiums and have "embezzled and stolen ... hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars."

Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson Hanks, say their new insurance broker discovered the scheme and told business managers that "he was concerned that the insurance premiums from policies in the last year to two years appeared extraordinarily high for the coverage provided," according to the complaint in Superior Court.

"When defendants provided copies of some of the relevant insurance policies to plaintiffs and/or their agents, on some of the policies the amount of the premium (and in some cases, the identity of the insurance broker that actually procured the coverage) was redacted. Plaintiffs are informed and believe, and on that basis allege, that defendants charged plaintiffs more than the quoted premiums for coverage procured, the total amount of which has not yet been determined," the complaint states.

In addition to overbilling, Goldman also provided duplicate insurance coverage and "may illegally have issued certificates of insurance without appointments," according to the complaint. Goldman provided insurance services for Hanks and his wife for more than 20 years.

Sixteen of the Hanks' businesses and associates are also named as plaintiffs. They seek restitution and punitive damages for professional negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, misrepresentation and conversion. They are represented by Kirk Pasich with Dickstein Shapiro.

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