Question 1

Is insurance fraud a serious crime?

Answer

Depending on what state you resides in, insurance fraud can be considered a misdemeanor (punishable by less than 1 year in jail) or a felony (punishable by more than 1 year in jail). In the State of Florida, the intentional act of insurance fraud is punishable as a third degree felony.

Question 2

Who are the people committing fraud?

Answer

There is no one type of person who commits fraud. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners factors such as pressure, opportunity & rationalization are the elements involved in a person considering to committ fraud. Versus Versa, a person who committs fraud is the type of person feeling some type of pressure, looking for or taking advantage of a perceived opportunity and lastly, a person who has rationalized committing fraud is okay or that they can get away with it.

Question 3

What type of cases has your agency been involved in?

Answer

Theft & Burglary Investigations. Surveillance & Counter- Surveillance Investigations. High Profile Media Type Investigations. Property & Casaulty Insurance Fraud Investigations. Healthcare Fraud Related Investigations. Liability Investigations.

Question 4

How can I verfiy if a person or business is licensed?

Answer

Depending on what type of services are being offered, there are different state agencies that regulated those services. Provided below are links for verifying licenses with the most common agenices in the State of Florida: Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) https://www.myfloridacfo.com/data/aar_alis1/index.htm Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp?mode=0&SID= Florida Department of Health (DOH) https://appsmqa.doh.state.fl.us/MQASearchServices/Home Florida DFS Division of Workers Compensation https://apps8.fldfs.com/proofofcoverage/Search.aspx

Question 5

Are there any free informational sources available online that can help me stay aware of fraudulent trends & tips on how to protect myself?

Answer

In the State of Florida, the Florida Property & Casualty Insurance Fraud Taskforce publishes free information online. http://fighting-fraud.wixsite.com/stompoutfraud Also in the State of Florida, there is the Florida Department of Financial Services whose website offers a variety of information & services. https://www.myfloridacfo.com

Question 6

How much fraud really ocurrs in the insurance industry?

Answer

According to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, there is at least $80 billion in fraudulent claims made each year in the United States. $34 billion of the monies are related to Property & Casualty insurance fraud.