A bill intended to combat insurance fraud by updating a 20-year-old law passed the Washington state senate this week on a unanimous vote.
Senate Bill 6031, which defines insurance fraud as its own crime, a Class B felony, was pushed for by Washington state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer.
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State law established the Office of the Insurance Commissioner’s Criminal Investigation Unit in 2006, but the law hasn’t been updated since. With SB 6031, Kuderer believes this gives the unit modern tools to investigate modern fraud.
The bill expands “victims of insurance fraud” to include insurance consumers and insurance beneficiaries, making them eligible for criminal restitution. SB 6031 would also expand statutory reporting of suspected insurance fraud to the commissioner by adding regulators of healthcare or financial services professions, and other law enforcement and public safety agencies as among the required reporters of suspected fraud.
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The bill, which passed on Tuesday, now moves to the state House of Representatives for consideration.
This is important info. It’s what the bill does and who it’s regulating.
Topics Fraud Politics Washington
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