Insurers Post Victories Battling WC Fraud
Monday, January 15th, 2001 Fraud Workers' CompensationAlthough many people know someone who knows someone who has exaggerated a work-related injury in order to take a couple of extra days off, there are no firm statistics on how extensive workers‘ compensation fraud is. The problems within the industry vary according to who is being asked to describe them. Insurers maintain that anti-fraud education efforts have blackened their bottom lines somewhat, while labor groups complain of intimidation tactics aimed at preventing them from filing legitimate claims. "We try not to quantify or make estimates as to the extent of workers‘ compensation insurance fraud, because by its very nature it‘s not truly knowable," said Kirk Hansen, director of claims for the Alliance of American Insurers in Downers Grove, Ill. "The best people can do is make their best guesses based on what they‘re discovering."
