Are you or a family member being investigated for insurance fraud by a state or federal investigator? We take your case seriously and will be your white-collar criminal defense attorneys. At the law office of McKeever & Seidule we have handled cases involving intentional fraud and cases for policyholders falsely accused of fraud. Insurance fraud is a serious crime when an individual or business intentionally provides false information or conceals information to receive a financial benefit from an insurance company. Fraud can include fraudulent claims, exaggerating the extent of damage or injury, and providing false information on insurance applications. Insurance fraud not only harms insurance companies and policyholders, but it also increases the cost of insurance for everyone. There are several types of insurance fraud with varying consequences for committing insurance fraud.

Types of Insurance Fraud

There are several types of insurance fraud, including:

• Health insurance fraud: Health insurance fraud occurs when an individual or business provides false information or conceals information to receive benefits from a health insurance policy. For example, submitting false claims for medical treatments or procedures that the health care provider did not perform, misrepresenting the extent of an injury or illness, or providing false information on insurance applications.

• Auto insurance fraud: When an individual or business provides false information or conceals information to receive benefits from an auto insurance policy, this may constitute fraud. Fraud for auto insurance can include staging accidents, submitting false claims for damages, or providing incorrect information on insurance applications.

• Property insurance fraud:  This type of criminal activity is when an individual or business provides false information or conceals information to receive benefits from a property insurance policy. Examples are exaggerating the extent of damage to a property, submitting false claims for losses, providing incorrect information on insurance applications, and insurance-related arson.

• Life insurance fraud: When an individual or business provides false information or conceals information to receive benefits from a life insurance policy, such as giving false information about the insured individual’s health, staging a death, or providing incorrect information on insurance applications.

• Medicaid and Medicare fraud: Both businesses and beneficiaries can act to defraud the Medicaid program. For example, they were intentionally billing for unneeded services or services never provided, collaborating with beneficiaries to file false claims for reimbursement and kickbacks, and changing billing codes for a more complex procedure not performed.

• Social Security Disability Fraud: Individuals who enter misleading information on a tax return, such as entering the wrong number of dependents to receive more money from the government, could face criminal charges. Another example is changing, copying, or creating a counterfeit Social Security card.

Consequences of Committing Insurance Fraud

Committing insurance fraud can have serious consequences, both legally and financially. Individuals and businesses guilty of insurance fraud can face fines, imprisonment, and a criminal record. They may also be required to pay restitution to the insurance company for any fraudulent claims or benefits received. Additionally, committing insurance fraud can also result in canceling an insurance policy, making getting insurance in the future very difficult in the future and the lifelong challenge a criminal record can inflict. If you are under investigation for insurance fraud, call McKeever & Seidule today. (407) 628-4878.