Hawaii Governor Expands Types of Insurance Fraud Investigations

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle has signed HB 262 into law, allowing the state’s insurance commissioner to investigate all insurance fraud, except workers’ compensation. The law expands the authority of the insurance division’s insurance fraud investigations unit, renames the insurance fraud investigation branch to prevent, investigate and prosecute — both civilly and criminally — insurance fraud beyond motor vehicle insurance cases to all lines of insurance except workers’ compensation, according to the bill summary. Previously only auto-related fraud could be investigated.

The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud strongly supported the measure, telling legislators that “insurance fraud in the islands is not solely committed against automobile insurance, and the state’s effort should not be restricted to a single line of insurance.”

Sources: CAIF, Hawaii Legislature, Governor’s Office