Calif. Fraud Task Force Holds Innagural Meeting

California’s Advisory Task Force on Insurance Fraud held its first meeting last week, with the goal of creating innovative methods to combat insurance fraud and forwarding an aggressive anti-fraud campaign introduced by the Commissioner.

The Task Force’s members include leaders from consumer protection groups as well as the judiciary, law enforcement community, and insurance industry.

“Insurance business is a significant driver in the California economy. Unfortunately, fraud is a major cost-driver in the insurance system,” said Commissioner Poizner. “These crimes impose a $500 ‘fraud tax’ on every man, woman and child in California. By attacking insurance fraud, we can stimulate our economy.”

Insurance fraud costs California consumers and businesses an estimated $15 billion per year.

The Task Force is comprised of a Working Committee, which will produce findings and recommendations, and a Blue Ribbon Review Committee, which will approve the findings and recommendations in a final report.

Convening for one year before issuing its report in December 2007, the Task Force will address five major issues:

1. Efficiency of the CDI Fraud Division,
2. Anti-fraud efforts by the insurance industry,
3. Review criminal and regulatory statutes dealing with insurance fraud,
4. New technology for the investigatory process, and
5. Outreach efforts by the CDI Fraud Division.

Blue Ribbon Review Committee members are:
* Mike Brown, Commissioner, California Highway Patrol;
* Robert Bryant, President & CEO, National Insurance Crime Bureau;
* Steve Cooley, District Attorney, Los Angeles County;
* Bonnie Dumanis, District Attorney, San Diego County;
* Hon. Harry Low, Justice (ret.), California Appellate Court/Former Insurance Commissioner;
* John McGinness, Sheriff, Sacramento County;
* Jan Scully, District Attorney, Sacramento County;
* David Snowden, Chief of Police, Beverly Hills; and
* Allan Zaremberg, California Chamber of Commerce.

Working Committee members are:
* Eric von Geldern, Deputy District Attorney, Consumer & Environmental Protection Division, Alameda County;
* Diane Ortmann, Claims Processing Expert, Allstate Insurance Company;
* Dan Brogdon, Manager, Special Investigations Unit, Auto Club of Southern California;
* Timothy Evans, Manager, Special Investigations Unit, California Casualty Management Company;
* Christine Baker, Executive Officer, Commission on Health & Safety and Worker’s Compensation, California Department of Industrial Relations;
* Kathleen Webb, Insurance Advisor to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California State & Consumer Services Agency;
* Jerry Galiotto, Manager, Special Investigations Unit, California State Automobile Association;
* Dennis Jay, Executive Director, Coalition Against Insurance Fraud;
* Zhenya Kirueshkin-Stepanoff, State & Local Specialist, Government Solutions, Dun & Bradstreet;
* Jack Teagarden, Regional Claims Manager, Special Investigations Unit, Liberty Mutual;
* Darlyn Regan, Manager, Fraud Investigation Program, State Compensation Insurance Fund;
* Alan Haskins, Anti-fraud Coordinator, National Association of Insurance Commissioners;
* Erik Laykin, Director, Navigant Consulting;
* Bob Wilson, Membership Coordinator, NICB;
* Joe Malikow, Director, Special Investigations Unit, Praetorian Financial;
* Bill Zachry, Vice President, Corporate Worker’s Compensation, Safeway Inc.;
* Dominic Dugo, Deputy District Attorney, Fraud Division, San Diego County; and
* Michael Bynum, Manager, Special Investigations Unit, Fire Claims, State Farm Fire and Casualty Co.