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From the N.C. Department of Insurance, shared Feb. 1:
Statewide total reached more than $10 million
RALEIGH — Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin is proud to announce that more than $10.4 million was returned to victims of insurance fraud in 2011 due to the efforts of the Criminal Investigations Division of the North Carolina Department of Insurance.
The Department’s Criminal Investigations Division is made up of 20 sworn law enforcement officers dedicated to investigating claims of insurance fraud and criminal concerns associated with bail bonding, motor clubs, collection agencies and premium finance companies in North Carolina.
In 2011, the work of these investigators led to 144 arrests, 83 criminal convictions, more than 100 pending court cases, and more than $10.4 million in restitution and recoveries.
See a county-by-county breakdown of cases here.
“Fighting fraud is one of the most important things we can do to keep insurance rates low,” said Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin. “When people try to cheat the system, we all pay.”
An estimated 10 percent of all insurance claims involve some degree of fraud. When insurance companies pay for fraudulent claims, all consumers pay in the form of higher insurance premiums.
Report suspected insurance fraud to the Criminal Investigations Division by phone at 888-680-7684 (toll free in N.C.) or 919-807-6840, by fax to 919-715-1156, or by email to reportfraud@ncdoi.gov. Tips can be reported anonymously.
From the editor:
WNC information
- The agency reported incoming cases for all 17 westernmost counties of North Carolina.
- Convictions were made in four of those counties — Buncombe, Henderson, Polk and Macon — with one conviction in each county.
- Recoveries and restitutions were made in two counties: Macon ($675) and Polk ($4,156.50).
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