Last Updated: 08/18/2023
State Fraud Statements – Applicable to all states not named below
Fraud Warning: It is a crime to knowingly provide false, incomplete or misleading information to an insurance company for the purpose of defrauding the company. Penalties include imprisonment, fines, and denial of insurance benefits. Please see state specific fraud language below:
Applicable in AL, AR, DC, LA, MD, NM, RI, TX and WV:
Any person who knowingly (or willfully)* presents a false or fraudulent claim for payment of a loss or benefit or knowingly (or willfully)* presents false information in an application for insurance is guilty of a crime and may be subject to fines and confinement in prison. *Applies in MD Only.
Applicable in CA:
Any person who knowingly presents a false or fraudulent claim for the payment of a loss is guilty of a crime and may be subject to fines and confinement in state prison
Applicable in CO:
It is unlawful to knowingly provide false, incomplete, or misleading facts or information to an insurance company for the purpose of defrauding or attempting to defraud the company. Penalties may include imprisonment, fines, denial of insurance, and civil damages. Any insurance company or agent of an insurance company who knowingly provides false, incomplete, or misleading facts or information to a policyholder or claimant for the purpose of defrauding or attempting to defraud the policyholder or claimant with regard to a settlement or award payable from insurance proceeds shall be reported to the Colorado Division of Insurance within the Department of Regulatory Agencies.
Applicable in FL and OK:
Any person who knowingly and with intent to injure, defraud, or deceive any insurer files a statement of claim or an application containing any false, incomplete, or misleading information is guilty of a felony (of the third degree)*. *Applies in FL Only.
Applicable in KY, NY, OH, and PA:
Any person who knowingly and with intent to defraud any insurance company or other person files an application for insurance or statement of claim containing any materially false information or conceals for the purpose of misleading, information concerning any fact material thereto commits a fraudulent insurance act, which is a crime and subjects such person to criminal and civil penalties (not to exceed five thousand dollars and the stated value of the claim for each such violation)*. *Applies in NY Only.
Applicable in ME, TN, VA, and WA:
It is a crime to knowingly provide false, incomplete or misleading information to an insurance company for the purpose of defrauding the company. Penalties (may)* include imprisonment, fines and denial of insurance benefits. *Applies in ME Only.
Applicable in NJ:
Any person who includes any false or misleading information on an application for an insurance policy is subject to criminal and civil penalties.
Applicable in OR:
Any person who knowingly and with intent to defraud or solicit another to defraud the insurer by submitting an application containing a false statement as to any material fact may be violating state law.
Applicable in PR:
Any person who knowingly and with the intention of defrauding presents false information in an insurance application, or presents, helps, or causes the presentation of a fraudulent claim for the payment of a loss or any other benefit, or presents more than one claim for the same damage or loss, shall incur a felony and, upon conviction, shall be sanctioned for each violation by a fine of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) and not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or a fixed term of imprisonment for three (3) years, or both penalties. Should aggravating circumstances [be] present, the penalty thus established may be increased to a maximum of five (5) years, if extenuating circumstances are present, it may be reduced to a minimum of two (2) years.