NICB: Florida Posts 23 Percent Increase in Questionable Claims 2010-2012

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Dec 16, 2013, 06:00 ET

Miami Metro Area Leads State

DES PLAINES, Ill., Dec. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) today released its 2010-2012 Florida questionable claims referral reason analysis. Questionable claims (QC) are those claims that NICB member insurance companies refer to NICB for closer review and investigation based on one or more indicators of possible fraud. A single claim may contain up to seven referral reasons. This report analyzes QCs by loss city, core-based statistical area (CBSA), policy type, loss type, policy and loss type combined and referral reasons.

In 2010, there were 8,723 Florida QCs referred to NICB from its member insurance companies. In 2011, the number increased to 9,670 and rose again in 2012 to 10,693—an increase of 23 percent from 2010's figure.

The top five cities in Florida generating the most QCs last year were Miami (2,309), Orlando (877), Tampa (690), Jacksonville (637), and Hialeah (361). The top five CBSAs reporting QCs were Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Tampa-Saint Petersburg-Clearwater, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Jacksonville and Cape Coral-Fort Myers. The top five loss types were: personal injury protection, bodily injury, other automobile, collision and property damage.

It is important to note that QCs represent a fraction of overall claims traffic. Nationally in 2012, QCs totaled 116,268 out of an overall claims population of more than 70.5 million—or 0.164 percent. The volume of QC referrals can increase or decrease over a given period of time and may be caused by a number of factors, including better reporting by the industry and an increase or decrease in fraudulent activity, etc.

The full report is available here.

Anyone with information concerning insurance fraud or vehicle theft can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 800-TEL-NICB (800-835-6422), texting keyword "fraud" to TIP411 (847411) or submitting a form on our website. Or, download the NICB Fraud Tips app on your iPhone or Android device.

About the National Insurance Crime Bureau: headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,100 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote $350 billion in insurance premiums in 2012, or more than 78 percent of the nation's property/casualty insurance. That includes more than 93 percent ($160 billion) of the nation's personal auto insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.

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SOURCE National Insurance Crime Bureau