A man from North Franklin Township, Philadelphia, has been charged with insurance fraud after he allegedly tried to get Nationwide Insurance to pay for damage to his pick-up after his current provider denied the same claim.

According to the Observer-Reporter, Jeffrey Hixon was arraigned Tuesday, following an investigation by the attorney general’s insurance fraud section. The office received a referral from Nationwide Insurance’s special investigations unit, which that found Hixon – while insured with GEICO – submitted to Nationwide a comprehensive claim for vehicle damages.

The report said a garage gave Hixon an estimate, dated April 18, for $14,400.70 to repair the diesel-powered truck, after he allegedly filled it with gasoline. GEICO denied his claim two days later because he did not have a comprehensive insurance policy at that time.

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Hixon subsequently went online and took out a new comprehensive policy with Nationwide. Less than a month later, he allegedly called Nationwide to file a claim for damages, saying he put regular gasoline in his truck on May 23 and took it to the garage to get checked May 26, the report said. He claimed the estimate for repairs, dated May 26, was $17,469.88.

When a special investigator reportedly confronted Hixon, he allegedly admitted that the damage happened in April, not May.

The Observer-Reporter stated a special agent with the attorney general’s office spoke with Hixon in January.

“Hixon allegedly admitted to filing the same claim with Nationwide in an attempt to get his vehicle repaired, and the claim was denied when Nationwide discovered the claim he made with GEICO,” it said.


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