Keeping Insurance Affordable

Stopping Insurance Fraud - Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime and it cost insurers—and eventually all of us—an estimated $30 billion nationally in 2004. I have introduced a major package of legislation to combat insurance fraud.  My legislation would:

• Assist officials in directly prosecuting many phony accident schemes, kickback arrangements, and false financial responsibility marketing by specifically defining fraud crimes.
• Increase the severity of violations of the public adjuster licensing law.
• Create a reward system for reporting insurance fraud.
• Require heath care facilities to place posters in each facility announcing a reward of up to $25,000 to persons reporting insurance fraud when the report leads to an arrest and conviction.
• Require criminal background screenings of new applicants for health care facilities.
• Expand the duties of the state’s Crime Victim Advocate to include working on behalf of automobile accident victims, survivors of traffic accidents and their families