How to Report Someone for Fraud Against an Insurance Company

Scammers take approximately $80 billion a year from the insurance industry and government programs, according to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud. This fraudulent activity results in higher insurance premiums for everyone else as insurers seek to recover the costs. You can help lower your own insurance premiums by helping insurers catch and fight the fraudsters. In some cases, the insurer might give you a reward for reporting the fraud.

Instructions

• 1

  Call the appropriate insurer or agency hotline. To report frauds against Medicare or Medicaid, call 800-447-8477. Call 800-269-0271 to report frauds against Social Security. To report frauds against the National Crop Insurance Fund, call 800-424-9121. To report frauds against private insurers, call the National Insurance Crime Bureau at 800-835-6422. Many insurers also have their own hotlines you can contact directly. Most state governments also sponsor insurance fraud bureaus you can contact.

• 2

  Tell the person who takes your call as much detail as you can provide. Tell the person who committed the fraud, where and when. Give details of the scheme that you know as accurately as possible. Offer to provide any documentary evidence you have of the fraud.

• 3

  Answer any questions asked of you that you can. The operator will ask questions to fill in any blanks that you inadvertently left out.

• 4

  Give the hotline your name and contact information. Most will let you report fraud anonymously. However, to receive any possible reward they need to know how to contact you. The insurer may also have questions for you later or need you to testify against the person who committed the fraud.