Insurance Fraud Summit to Focus on Catastrophe Fraud and Staged Auto Accidents in Colorado

LITTLETON, Colo., Oct. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Colorado is known for its climate, especially the snowy winters, but experts from around the state and the nation will be focusing on another climate when they gather in Littleton on Oct.15 – the climate for insurance fraud in the state.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association (RMIIA) are sponsoring the Colorado Insurance Fraud and Vehicle Theft Summit at the Marriott Denver South at Park Meadows.

NICB chose Colorado as the site of its annual fraud summit to focus on issues related to staged auto accidents, vehicle theft and catastrophe-related fraud schemes which have plagued the state in recent years.

"Colorado has seen its share of wildfires, floods and hail storms," said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle. "That makes the state fertile ground for fraudsters who thrive on disasters to cheat consumers and insurance companies."

"Fortunately, the Colorado legislature passed and the Governor signed meaningful legislation this year to strengthen the state's fraud and vehicle theft laws," said Carole Walker, RMIIA's executive director. "This summit will help us focus on implementing these new laws to their fullest potential."

Among the featured speakers will be Colorado Attorney General John Suthers who will provide his perspective on the issues the state is facing and detail his efforts to devote prosecutorial resources to address the fight against insurance-related crimes.

About the National Insurance Crime Bureau: headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,100 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote $371 billion in insurance premiums in 2013, or more than 78 percent of the nation's property/casualty insurance. That includes more than 93 percent ($168 billion) of the nation's personal auto insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.

The Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association is a non-profit consumer information organization. Affiliated with the Insurance Information Institute, RMIIA has been serving consumers and the media since 1952. Learn more at www.rmiia.org

Note to media… The summit is open to coverage of the opening remarks from 8:30 to approximately 9:15. Requests for individual interviews may be directed to Carole Walker (RMIIA) at 303-601-8437, [email protected] or Roger Morris (NICB) at 614-975-0585, [email protected].

SOURCE National Insurance Crime Bureau