How does Florida insurance fraud harm local residents? The following is an overview.
- The “fraud tax.” This refers to increases in insurance premiums caused by fraud. This activity adds an estimated $100 to the auto insurance policies of average two car families in Florida.
- Drains local law enforcement resources attempting to regulate pain clinics, at a time when they are cutting their budgets and could be used elsewhere.
- Increases local drug abuse. Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing form of substance abuse, and pain clinics who hand out pain killers to take advantage of the no fault insurance laws are adding to the problem.
- Increases unintentional drug overdoses. The Centers for Disease Control reports that the vast majority of unintentional drug overdose deaths are related to pain killers. Drug overdoses are now the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in the U.S.
- Makes pain medication readily available to drug addicts. Pain clinics are everywhere, including shopping centers, making the ease of obtaining pills hazardous to abusers.
- Monopolizes local resources tied to dealing with drug abuse. Drug abusers from other states come to Florida due to the ease of obtaining pills.
