Maryland Issued $466K in Insurance Fraud Fines, Penalties in 2017

For the calendar year 2017, Maryland Insurance Commissioner Al Redmer Jr. authorized civil orders and criminal charges totaling $466,261 in fines, penalties and restitution to 77 citizens charged with committing insurance fraud.

“Our Insurance Fraud Division continues to investigate all tips regarding suspected civil and criminal insurance fraud,” said Commissioner Redmer in a press release issued by the Maryland Insurance Administration. “We want Marylanders to know they can and should call us if they suspect insurance fraud. All tips are confidential, and we follow up on each lead. The bad actors need to be held accountable for their actions.”

Insurance fraud is one of the costliest crimes in the country, costing consumers directly in the form of higher premiums.

More than 40 individuals were ordered to pay $200,514 in administrative penalties and restitution for committing civil insurance fraud in Maryland in 2017. Additionally, the investigative work of the Insurance Fraud Division of the Maryland Insurance Administration led to 37 people being criminally prosecuted for committing insurance fraud last year, resulting in $265,747 in fines, penalties and restitution.

The Maryland Insurance Administration is an independent state agency charged with enforcing insurance laws and regulations. It continues to partner with federal, state and local government agencies, insurance carriers and producers to investigate and prosecute individuals and businesses for committing insurance fraud. Its Fraud Division, staffed by former law enforcement officers and prosecutors, investigates reports of fraudulent activity related to insurance matters.

Source: The Maryland Insurance Administration