| New Jersey insurance fraud prosecutors are on | | | | submitted an application, claim, affidavit, |
| the warpath. Really. People get indicted for | | | | certification, etc. |
| all kinds of insurance fraud in New Jersey | | | | |
| every week. That certainly keeps New Jersey | | | | Insurance Fraud in New Jersey is a third |
| insurance fraud lawyers busy. And, get this: | | | | degree crime. It can be upgraded to a second |
| it's much easier to get in trouble for | | | | degree crime if the defendant knowingly |
| insurance fraud than most people think. | | | | commits five or more acts of insurance fraud |
| | | | and if the aggregate value of property, |
| So, what can you do to break one of New | | | | services, or other benefit wrongly obtained |
| Jersey's numerous insurance fraud statutes? | | | | or sought to be obtained is at least $1,000. |
| Well, for starters, you can submit a claim | | | | Each act of insurance fraud is considered an |
| for payment, reimbursement or other benefit | | | | additional separate crime. Five or more |
| from an insurance company or the Unsatisfied | | | | separate acts may be combined to establish |
| Claim and Judgment Fund of New Jersey. You | | | | criminal liability for insurance fraud. And, |
| can also file an application to obtain or | | | | just because you're indicted for insurance |
| renew an insurance policy. | | | | fraud doesn't mean you can't be indicted for |
| | | | other offenses as well. New Jersey |
| Obviously, it involves more than filing an | | | | third-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence |
| application or submitting claims. Think about | | | | of five years in prison and a $15,000 fine. |
| signing or submitting affidavits, | | | | Second-degree crimes may get you a maximum |
| certifications, records, or any other | | | | sentence of 10 years in state prison and a |
| paperwork used in any insurance or premium | | | | $150,000 fine. |
| finance transaction. The list really goes on. | | | | |
| You play games with an insurance company, and | | | | A word of advice. In most insurance fraud |
| you may soon be in the sights of insurance | | | | cases, police will not show up at your door |
| fraud prosecutors. | | | | at 5 a.m. with an arrest warrant. You will |
| | | | usually receive a call from an investigator, |
| What should the State prove to convict one of | | | | from the insurance company or the |
| insurance fraud? That's easy. The prosecutors | | | | prosecutor's office, who will ask you |
| must prove that you have made, or have caused | | | | questions about your insurance transactions, |
| to be made, a false, fictitious, fraudulent, | | | | claims, etc. They may tell you that you are |
| or misleading statement of material fact in | | | | being investigated for fraud. The most |
| any record, bill, claim or other document, in | | | | natural reaction of most people in this |
| writing, electronically or in any other form. | | | | situation is to talk, and talk and talk to |
| Alternatively, you must have omitted or | | | | the investigator. Makes you feel good, right? |
| caused to be omitted, a material fact from | | | | Sort of ease you conscience. It may be so, |
| any record, bill, claim or other document, in | | | | but you're helping them to build their case |
| writing, electronically or in any other form. | | | | against you. So, this is the second to worst |
| Finally, the law requires the State to prove | | | | choice. The worst choice is to tell the |
| that you have done all those terrible things | | | | investigator to go to hell and stop bogging |
| knowingly. As New Jersey insurance fraud | | | | you. The best choice is to politely reply |
| lawyers, we make sure the State has a hard | | | | that you are interested in discussing the |
| time proving all this. | | | | case with them in the presence of your |
| | | | lawyer, take their number, and promise them |
| Every case is different, of course, and no | | | | that your lawyer would be calling them. Then, |
| lawyer can win every case. Sometimes the | | | | you guessed it right, you should call a good |
| evidence is just overwhelming. Sometimes, the | | | | New Jersey insurance fraud lawyer and take it |
| law makes it easier for the State to prove | | | | from there. If you've been accused of |
| guilt. For example, the law allows the court | | | | insurance fraud in New Jersey, please call on |
| to make an inference of intentional fraud | | | | us to help you. |
| from the fact that a person signed or | | | | |