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Insurers...
Insurance crime in New Jersey is punishable by law, and in many cases, the guilty
party often goes to jail. In 2001, the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP)
filed 92 indictments and obtained 86 convictions for insurance fraud activities.
The convictions have resulted in a total of more than 107 years of incarceration
and over 175 years of probation. In addition, the Prosecutor's actions generated
over $6.8 million in restitution and almost $1 million in fines.
It is the insurance industry's goal to establish a zero tolerance for insurance
crime. To achieve this, insurers in New Jersey are:
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Constantly training underwriting and sales personnel to recognize and report
fraud, and aggressively investigating insurance applications and claims.
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Denying over $50 million in suspected fraudulent claims each year and turning
these cases over to the state's Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor for
legal action.
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Utilizing the civil courts to deny claim payments to policyholders, lawyers and
medial providers suspected of submitting phony auto insurance claims for injuries
and car damage.
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Providing law enforcement officials with the information they need to prosecute
offenders.
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Educating SIU agents about the most up-to-date fraud fighting techniques.
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Increasing policyholder awareness.
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Funding the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and the National Coalition
Against Insurance Fraud.
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Supporting anti-fraud telephone hotlines such as the NICB's
(1-800-TEL-NICB).
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Working with state agencies such as the Division of Motor Vehicles in a
cooperative effort to identify uninsured motorists.
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Operating a statewide program that requires residents to have their cars
photographed and inspected when a vehicle is insured.
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Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP) Hotline, 1-877-55-FRAUD
(1-877-553-7283)
What You Can Do...
Fraud is not simply the insurance industry's problem. It is a crime that impacts
upon the pocketbooks of insurers and consumers alike. Effective fraud control
then, demands everyone's cooperation.
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Report any accident you're involved in or witness. Your account can be
important in determining the legitimacy of a claim. Contact your insurance
agent if you're involved in an accident.
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Make sure a police officer is called to the scene of an accident
immediately. Always obtain a police report.
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Keep accurate records of what happened at the scene of an accident.
Record names, addresses, phone numbers, notes of what was said, etc.
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Obtain ID. Make sure you get the driver's license number and insurance
card from all individuals involved in the accident.
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If you're in a minor accident and, for example, someone gives you the name
of a doctor or lawyer who can "make you some money," or if a body shop
mechanic offers to inflate your damage estimate, don't just walk away.
Contact police and notify your insurer.
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If a fellow employee fakes an injury or is working while collecting
disability pay, report him or her to your employer or company
insurer.
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Report insurance fraud to the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor by
calling 1-877-55-FRAUD or writing to: New Jersey Department of Law and
Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice, Office of the Insurance Fraud
Prosecutor, P.O. Box 094, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0094
See Also:
What Is Insurance Crime?
Recognizing Insurance Fraud
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