DAHLONEGA, Ga. – As if the injuries and trauma that often accompany an automobile accident aren’t bad enough, a Fox 5 I-Team Investigation this week revealed that Lumpkin County officials have knowingly double billed for accident cleanup for years.

Georgia Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner Ralph Hudgens told Fox 5 News that insurance providers already pay for the cleanup via a premium tax paid to local governments. Last year, Hudgens said, Georgia insurance companies paid out more than $526 million and Lumpkin County received $1.3 million.

But the county still allowed a third-party biller, Fire Recovery Services, to charge unsuspecting drivers for the cleanup a second time.

County Manager Stan Kelley defended the practice, saying the county needs the money to make ends meet.

“It’s kind of like fishing,” Hudgens told the Fox 5 reporter. “They’re throwing that bill out, and if the consumer pays it, they’ve caught a fish. If the consumer doesn’t pay it, they fold up their tackle box and go home.”

Fetch Your News contacted county officials Friday for their comments.

Commissioner Doug Sherrill said the county has contacted the Attorney General’s office for a ruling on whether the practice is legal. But, legal or not, Sherrill said he plans to push for the county to rescind the policy immediately.

“I plan to bring this up at the October county commission meeting,” Sherrill said Friday morning. “I believe it is in the best interest of the county that we rescind the policy.”

He also said it is important to make a distinction between accident cleanup and transport. While the premium tax does cover cleanup, it does not cover transport of an accident victim to the hospital.

Commissioner Rhett Stringer said there is no doubt the policy is legal. “It’s really a matter of whether it’s right or wrong. It’s not fair for individuals to have to pay and it’s not fair for the insurance company not to pay because they are charging you for this type of thing in your policy premium.”

 

Commissioner-elect David Miller said in the interest of transparency the current policy is not a good one but he declined to say more until he has spoken to other county officials to get a better understanding of the issue.