The Insurance Family Blog

Legislation Equips California to Fight Insurance Fraud

Posted by Susie Scherff on August 30, 2010 at 4:22 PM

In a positive move for honest California Insurance agencies, the California Legislature has approved a bill that will allow the CA Department of Insurance (DOI) to better investigate insurance fraud trends in an attempt to reign in a problem that costs the state tens of millions of dollars a year.

According to a story on ClaimsJournal.com:

“…it would authorize the DOI to convene meetings with insurance companies to discuss specific information concerning suspected, anticipated, or completed acts of insurance fraud and would protect a person sharing information pursuant to that authorization from civil liability for libel, slander or any other relevant cause of action, according to the bill text.”

Basically this law would protect whistle-blowers and other who may suspect insurance fraud but not have the necessary evidence to back it up. Rather than requiring a person to put their reputation on the line and risk being sued, the bill would allow the DOI to investigate to determining if fraud is happening.

Honest, law-abiding California companies and agencies suffer because of the misdeeds of an unscrupulous few, and we’re hopeful the bill gets signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger.

If you suspect CA business insurance fraud at your workplace or elsewhere, it’s important to speak up. Especially with the new health care/insurance reform, there are many people selling fake health plans or using their insurance license to collect on phony Medicare claims. Especially with elderly folks, it’s always important to make sure they’re working with a reputable insurance provider.

If you’re unsure of an insurance provider's legitimacy, we’re always glad to help you shop around to find the right plan for any of your California personal property or business insurance needs.