WESTERN NEWS ZONE......

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has purchased California-based Nourse Insurance Brokers.

Founded in 1935, Nourse Insurance Brokers Inc. is a retail insurance broker offering personal and commercial property/casualty insurance products and services to their clients throughout the Western United States. They have expertise with personal lines, especially high net worth clients, and offer insurance programs that meet the needs for small to medium sized businesses.

Dina Campana Smith, James Salisbury and their associates will continue to operate in their Walnut Creek location under the direction of James McFarlane, West Coast regional manager of Gallagher's retail property/casualty brokerage operations.

• California Commissioner Steve Poizner announced that three Fresno individuals were charged with felony insurance fraud in two separate criminal cases. Harjinder Singh, 46, was arrested May 6. Singh was additionally charged with felony arson and perjury.
  In a separate case, Karmjit Mann, 33, was arrested on May 11; and Nirmaljeet Singh, Karmjit's husband, self-surrendered to authorities on May 7. Nirmaljeet Singh was additionally charged with falsely reporting a crime.

On March 24, 2007, Harjinder Singh reported that his big rig caught fire while he was driving along I-40. Singh then filed a claim with his insurance carrier, reporting the loss. The Urban Organized Auto Insurance Fraud Task Force later discovered that the fires which burned the vehicle were intentionally set. Investigators allege that Singh purposely set fire to his vehicle in an attempt to receive a $35,000 payout from his insurance company. On Sept. 9, 2008, Nirmaljeet Singh reported the theft of his big rig to the Fresno Police Department. Task force detectives discovered that the big rig was never parked at the reported theft location. Singh's wife, Karmjit Mann, allegedly provided false supporting statements indicating that she had picked up her husband from the reported theft location. The two allegedly attempted to defraud their insurance company of approximately $40,000.