A Camden County insurance claims adjuster is facing serious charges after allegedly using his insider access to steal nearly $200,000 through a series of fraudulent claims, the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General announced.
John Philbin, 48, of Clementon, was employed by Assurant, a global insurance provider based in Atlanta, when he is accused of submitting 11 bogus property claims between October 2022 and May 2023. According to prosecutors, Philbin fabricated vendor estimates, used false identities, and submitted invoices from nonexistent companies to back up claims for restoration and emergency mitigation work that never occurred.
As part of the scheme, Philbin allegedly ensured the fraudulent claims were assigned to himself for approval. The resulting payouts—totaling $191,163—were allegedly funneled into bank accounts he controlled, investigators said.
To cover his tracks, Philbin reportedly used P.O. boxes in Clementon and Blackwood to hide his identity.
Officials say the fraud was uncovered through an internal audit, which revealed metadata on documents linking Philbin directly to the false submissions. He was eventually charged with second-degree insurance fraud and theft by deception.
“The defendant in this case knew the system from the inside, and he is charged with exploiting that knowledge and access for illicit financial gain,” said Theresa L. Hilton, Director of the Division of Criminal Justice.
If convicted, Philbin could face 5 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000. The case underscores growing concerns about white-collar crime and fraud within the insurance industry.
