Insurance fraud tied to the Florida no fault insurance law results in millions of dollars of expenses to the state of Florida and its residents each year. The law requires that every Florida motorist maintain a $10,000 personal injury protection policy. If he or she is involved in a Florida car accident, the injured party’s insurance company is required to cover the expenses, regardless of who is at fault for the crash. As a result of the fraud, efforts at reform have become both a business and political priority within the state.
Reducing the number of incidents of insurance fraud related to Florida auto accidents will lower the premiums for innocent customers. Fortunately, the state is already making efforts to reduce fraud. These efforts include:

• In certain situations, the state requires that the injured party undergo an examination by an independent health care professional
• If the victim wants to collect compensation through its carrier, he or she must abide by this process
• Florida’s state chief financial officer asked the Florida Bar to permanently ban lawyer referral services
• The Florida Division of Insurance Fraud is investigating accident referral services
• The FBI has begun making inquiries into Florida insurance fraud
• The accident report is the only time a law enforcement official can offer an opinion rather than just state facts, so officers are making an effort to write in the report if there are suspicions
• Insurance companies can forward questionable claims to the National Insurance Crime Bureau for the agency to review and investigate
• Some companies, like State Farm, have employees who work full time investigating suspicious claims
• State Farm is teaming up with the NICB to try to combat car insurance fraud through an advertising campaign that began in 2011

For more information, contact an experienced Sarasota accident attorney. Complete our online submission form or call our office at (888) 409-3805 for a complimentary consultation.