Photo finish – literally – to woman’s car insurance claim: ‘I messed up’

LEESBURG, Fla. – Accidents happen, but that’s not why a certain woman is facing a felony.

She said she swerved her 2018 Toyota Camry “to avoid a dog in the road and she hit a tree stump,” and that’s not disputed.

Something else about the crash led to her insurance company tipping off authorities with the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Lea Christina Kramer’s policy with Progressive started Feb. 19, 2024, but investigators said it didn’t last the full six months.

“The policy was canceled on June 15, 2024, due to alleged misrepresentation during a claim,” a detective’s affidavit said. “On March 31, 2024, defendant called” to request “a quote for additional insurance coverage” on her car.

“She added comprehensive and collision coverage to the policy and was advised, both verbally during the call and in a declaration page dated April 5, 2024, that the additional coverage would not be effective until April 5, 2024.

“On April 7, 2024, defendant again called the Progressive Insurance Company and advised that she had experienced a loss in the Toyota Camry.

“When asked by the call taker [name] about the date of the crash, she responded that it happened ‘earlier this eve, around 6.’”

Then, she told the story about the dog and the tree stump,

and, “She stated that she drove her car home. The call taker advised that defendant would receive an email with requests for photos and other information concerning the claim.

“On April 10, 2024, a third call was reported between defendant and an employee (unk) of the Progressive Insurance Company. During this call, the date and time were asked, and defendant responded it was Saturday, the 6th, and that the sun was still up.

“A fourth call was recorded between the defendant and an employee (unk) of the Progressive Insurance Company. The employee inquired about the policy change. Defendant stated she just noticed that the Toyota was not fully insured and wanted to make sure it was covered.

“The employee advised that the company had received photos of the car, and he explained that the metadata revealed the date that the photo was taken was April 1, 2024. He asked her if the crash happened prior to April 6. She advised that she was not sure why the date was before the reported date of the crash.”

Damage to Kramer’s car was estimated at $6,684.58.

“On Dec. 4, 2024,” the affidavit continued, “photographs that were provided by Kramer to the insurance company were presented to [a detective who is] a certified forensic computer examiner. He reviewed them and authored a report stating that the photographs were taken on April 1, 2024.

“On Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, [two other detectives] conducted a recorded, sworn interview with defendant at [a Dunkin’ Donuts in Leesburg]. During the interview, the defendant acknowledged that she once was insured by Progressive Insurance, and in March or April of 2024, she had a crash and made a claim.”

She told the story about the dog and tree stump.

Then, “She said she could not remember the date of the crash. She remembered calling the claim in and ascertaining that she did not have the proper coverage, and then called back to add coverage to her policy. She then called the company a week or so later, and reported the claim.

“She admitted that the crash did take place prior to her adding the extra coverage to the policy.

“She admitted making the changes and stated, ‘I messed up.’”

Nine days after the meeting, authorities got a judge to issue a bench warrant for Kramer’s arrest, and she turned herself in the following morning.

Kramer, 51, was charged with false and fraudulent insurance claims, and she was released in lieu of $1,000 bond after less than two hours in jail. She pleaded not guilty.

There was no mention of any police report concerning the crash in the probable cause affidavit.