Mississippi Insurance Fraud Laws
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016
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In Mississippi, insurance fraud is a crime penalized under federal law. Federal law prohibits the use of a trick, scheme, or false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises in order to obtain health care benefits. For example, it is illegal for an insured to say that he or she is experiencing severe pain in order to obtain prescription pain killers for an uninsured family member.
The Magnolia State also outlaws workers' compensation insurance fraud and prohibits making false statements in order to receive workers compensation benefits. It is therefore illegal for an employee to say that he injured his knee at work when in fact the injury occurred while playing a game of basketball at home.
If a person represents himself or herself as another person in order to receive insurance benefits, they may also be charged with false personation under state law. The following is a quick summary of Mississippi insurance fraud laws.
Mississippi Insurance Fraud Laws:
The following table outlines insurance fraud laws in Mississippi.
| Code Sections |
MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 71-3-69, 97-19-35 |
| What is Prohibited? | Health Insurance Fraud: Knowingly and willfully using a trick or scheme to defraud or attempt to defraud a health care benefit program or obtaining health care benefits by using false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises. Workers' Compensation Insurance Fraud: Knowingly making a false or misleading statement or representation to obtain to wrongfully withhold workers compensation benefits. False Personation: Falsely representing or personating another in order to receive money or property |
| Penalties | Health insurance fraud is a punishable by up to 10 years in prison in addition to fines. If the violation causes bodily injury, it is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. If the violation causes death, it is punishable by life imprisonment. Workers compensation fraud is a felony punishable by up to 3 years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines, or double the value of the fraud, whichever is greater. False personation is punishable in the same manner as grand larceny. Therefore, if the value of the benefits received was $500 or more, the crime is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. |
| How do I File a Complaint Against a Mississippi Insurance Company? | If you're having problems with an insurance company or agent, a complaint may be filed with the Mississippi Insurance Department. |
Mississippi Insurance Fraud Law: Related Resources
Insurance fraud laws can sometimes be complicated. If you have been charged with insurance fraud, you may want to consult an experienced Mississippi criminal defense attorney for question about your specific situation. You can also visit Findlaw's section on insurance fraud for more general information.
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