CENTRAL OHIO -- For many Central Ohioans, the struggling economy has meant hard times.
According to insurance investigators, more and more people are trying to make up lost ground by defrauding insurance companies out of money.
"We're seeing significant increases across the board in all types, particularly in opportunist fraud situations where people are turned around on their car loans, and it's easier to give it up than pay the loans," says Vickie Neal, director of Area Eight of the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a not-for-profit organization that partners with insurers and enforcement agencies.
She says cases of fraud involving homeowner's insurance are up as well.
"Ohio and Michigan have the highest foreclosure rates, and that's where we're seeing the most significant increases in arsons."
Wednesday, both public and private insurance organizations took part in an Ohio insurance fraud seminar to share ideas and techniques in identifying and fighting cases of fraud such as using the Internet.
"There are sites that you can use to gather public information that could be helpful an in insurance-claim investigation," says Carmen Sarge, president of the Ohio Chapter of the National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators.
So why should you care about insurance fraud? In short, because it costs you every year.
"Insurance fraud costs every policy holder in the U.S. about $300 in increased premiums a year," says Neal. "So it's important to know that everybody is paying for insurance fraud."
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com -- Where Accuracy Matters.
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