Questionable insurance claims on the rise in Oklahoma and nationwide

Questionable insurance claims are on the rise in Oklahoma, and that eventually could mean higher auto and home insurance rates for state consumers. “Insurance fraud is costing anywhere between $3 billion and $5 billion a year countrywide,” said Jerry Johns, president of the Southwest Insurance Information Service. “It adds several hundred dollars a year to everyone’s auto insurance premiums and a lesser amount for homeowners insurance premiums.” Questionable claims based in Oklahoma rose 15 percent last year after jumping 18 percent in 2008, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.