TRENTON, N.J., July 21 – New Jersey Manufacturers, a car insurer in the state, won its third major judgment in a month in pursuing recovery of fraudulent claims " this one for its subsidiary, New Jersey Re-Insurance Co.

NJM won a $1.6 million judgment against 43 defendants in a phony accident claim ring that collected $534,133 in false claims between 2000 and 2004 from New Jersey Re-Insurance.

The judgment issued by Superior Court Judge Bill Mathesius is for the treble damages allowed in insurance fraud law suits. NJRe has already received $63,305 in restitution, according to NJM officials.

The claims department staff members of NJM began noticing a trend in the claims from reported accidents occurring in Essex County between 2000 and 2004, said NJM officials.

According to the statement from NJM, the claims followed a particular pattern of obtaining minimal coverage for an older vehicle and, within a few weeks, reporting accidents generating little or no damage to the cars but allegedly causing injuries requiring chiropractic treatment and diagnostic tests for multiple passengers in each vehicle.

The policyholders typically allowed coverage to lapse by discontinuing payment of premiums [and] the same cars often were listed in multiple accidents, passing from owner to owner among the defendants in the ring, the company reported after the claims were filed.

The investigators also noted that the drivers and passengers seeking the claims frequently used the same current or prior addresses in filing the claims.

The claims department reported its suspicions to the companys special investigations unit and they uncovered the ring involving at least the 49 people who are the defendants in the judgment. Most of the defendants were residents in Irvington, Newark, and East Orange.

The companys findings have been turned over to the states insurance fraud division for further investigation and the defendants could face criminal charges as well.

NJM has won three court judgments worth $3 million in the last four weeks.