Tampa Insurance Fraud Lawyer
The insurance industry relies on truth. When a person doesn’t tell the truth in order to gain insurance benefits, such as from auto, health, life, and homeowners’ insurance, they are committing a crime. This is considered insurance fraud, which is a white collar crime that comes with severe penalties.
Insurance fraud can happen in many ways, but it is often done by submitting false claims in order to gain compensation. Insurance fraud is a felony that can result in prison time as well as restitution.
Fraud charges are a serious matter. A Tampa insurance fraud lawyer from Scriven Law, P.A. will evaluate your case and work with you to develop a plan of action that gets you the best outcome possible.
Elements of Insurance Fraud
Insurance fraud consists of four main elements:
- The suspect had the intent to defraud. Insurance fraud is a crime of intent, which means the prosecutor must prove that the person knowingly committed an act of fraud.
- An act is completed. Simply talking about fraud is not sufficient.
- The act and intent must come together. There cannot be one without the other or else it is not considered a crime.
- There does not need to be any financial loss, as long as the suspect has committed an act and had the intent to commit the crime.
Examples of Insurance Fraud
Insurance fraud can happen in many forms, including the following:
- False claims. A person may submit false claims for damages or injuries that never occurred. For example, someone might claim that their car was stolen when it was actually sold.
- Exaggerated claims. Some individuals may inflate the extent of damages or injuries to receive a higher payout from their insurance company. This often involves exaggerating the severity of injuries sustained in a car accident.
- Staged accidents. Criminals may intentionally cause accidents to make fraudulent insurance claims. These staged accidents often involve multiple parties who work together to make false claims for vehicle damage, medical expenses, and other losses.
- Business owners or homeowners may set fire to their property to collect insurance money. Arson is a serious crime and can lead to significant financial losses for insurance companies.
- Insurance agent fraud. Insurance agents may engage in fraudulent activities by selling fake insurance policies, pocketing premiums without providing coverage, or altering policy details to benefit themselves or their clients.
- Healthcare fraud. This involves healthcare providers billing insurance companies for services or treatments that were never provided or were not medically necessary.
- Life insurance fraud. Individuals may take out life insurance policies with the intention of committing suicide and making it look like an accident to ensure their beneficiaries receive the payout.
Contact Scriven Law Today
Insurance fraud is a serious crime. It leads to serious financial consequences for insurance companies and others involved.
A Tampa insurance fraud lawyer from Scriven Law, P.A. can help defend your case. We can help prove lack of intent, mistake of fact, or other plausible defenses. Schedule a consultation with our office today by filling out the online form or calling 813-226-8522.
