Insurance fraud is a crime.
Far from being a victimless crime, insurance fraud victimizes every resident of New York State, costing consumers billions of dollars in the form of increased insurance premiums and higher prices for goods and services. The exact cost of insurance fraud is hard to estimate because much of it goes unreported. Excessive medical treatment and exaggerated injuries from automobile accidents constitute much of the fraud in New York, according to the Coalition. Insurance fraud takes many forms. A homeowner falsely claims his home was burglarized and valuable items stolen.