Officials in the Tar Heel State reported a recent workers compensation rate filing and an arrest involving comp fraud.
Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin announced that the Department of Insurance has completed its review of workers comp rate filings from the North Carolina Rate Bureau, the organization that represents the state’s workers comp insurance companies.
The rates have been approved as filed and will go into effect April 1, 2015.
There will be a 3.4 percent average decrease to loss costs for the voluntary market. There will be an average 4.5 percent decrease in residual market rates.
The full filings and settlements are available for public review on the NCDOI website. Visit http://www.ncdoi.com/PC/PC_Filing_Search.aspx and search for Serff Tracking numbers NCRI-129728928 and NCRI-129728930.
The Rate Bureau is required to submit workers comp rate filings annually in September.
In 2013, a 4.2 percent increase to the voluntary market loss costs and a .3 percent increase to the residual market rates were approved.
Fraud Charges Levied Against N.C. Woman
Meantime, Goodwin announced the arrest of Roxanne Renee Newton, 29, of Snow Hill; she was charged three counts of insurance fraud, two counts of attempting to obtain property by false pretense and one count of obtaining property by false pretense.
Department of Insurance criminal investigators allege that between Aug. 25, 2014, and Sept. 8, 2014, Newton filed fraudulent insurance claims with State National Insurance Company and with her employer’s workers comp carrier for property damage and injuries she claimed occurred in a single-car accident. Newton received $3,514.14 from State National to settle the vehicle damage claim.
Newton was arrested on Nov. 7 and placed under a $30,000 bond.
The Department of Insurance employs 20 sworn state law enforcement officers dedicated to investigating and prosecuting claims of insurance and bail bonding fraud.
Since Goodwin took office in 2009, criminal investigators have made more than 1,000 arrests, resulting in more than 500 criminal convictions with more than 200 cases currently pending court.
These efforts have delivered more than $61 million in restitution and recoveries for victims.
Author Kori Shafer-Stack, Editor, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in post-injury response procedures and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: kstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.
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