No-fault insurance fraud continues to plague New York, with estimates of its cost to consumers and insurance carriers reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.1 The growing wave of fraud persists notwithstanding efforts by federal and state prosecutors to bring criminal actions seeking to punish alleged fraud2and despite guilty pleas in some of these actions.3 State regulators have recognized the problem, as well, and new no-fault regulations are about to take effect in an effort to crack down on no-fault insurance fraud.4
The final, and perhaps most important element needed to successfully attack no-fault insurance fraud in New York is action by the Legislature and the governor. Although bills have been introduced over a number of years5 that, if enacted, would have helped, no major piece of no-fault reform legislation has been passed by both the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate in recent memory. It is time for a different result now.
