PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2833                      PRINTER'S NO. 3483

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 2178 Session of 1988


        INTRODUCED BY HAYDEN, BLAUM, GODSHALL, TRELLO, OLASZ, BORTNER,
           WOZNIAK, JAROLIN, COY, LINTON, COLAFELLA, CAWLEY, HERSHEY,
           VAN HORNE, KENNEY, DONATUCCI, LUCYK, KOSINSKI, SEVENTY, BURD,
           FOX, MURPHY, LaGROTTA, BRANDT, FARGO, MILLER, TIGUE, STUBAN,
           WOGAN, BLACK, VEON AND STEIGHNER, FEBRUARY 3, 1988

        AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, HOUSE OF
           REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JUNE 15, 1988

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
     2     Consolidated Statutes, providing for the offense of insurance
     3     fraud; AND MAKING REPEALS.                                     <--

     4     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     5  hereby enacts as follows:
     6     Section 1.  Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
     7  Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
     8  § 4117.  Insurance fraud.
     9     (a)  Offense defined.--A person commits an offense if he:
    10         (1)  knowingly and with the intent to defraud any entity
    11     presents or causes to be presented to any entity any
    12     statement forming a part of, or in support of, an insurance
    13     application or an insurance claim that contains any false,
    14     incomplete or misleading information concerning any fact or
    15     thing material to the insurance application or insurance
    16     claim;


     1         (2)  knowingly and with the intent to defraud any entity
     2     assists, abets, solicits or conspires with another to prepare
     3     or make any statement that is intended to be presented to any
     4     entity in connection with, or in support of, any insurance
     5     application or insurance claim that contains any false,
     6     incomplete or misleading information concerning any fact or
     7     thing material to the insurance claim; or
     8         (3)  engages in unlicensed agent or broker activity as
     9     defined by the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.789, No.285), known
    10     as The Insurance Department Act of one thousand nine hundred
    11     and twenty-one, knowingly and with the intent to defraud any
    12     entity or the public.
    13     (b)  Grading.--An offense under this section is a felony of
    14  the third degree.
    15     (c)  Restitution.--The court shall, in addition to any other
    16  sentence authorized by law, sentence a person or entity
    17  convicted of violating this section to make restitution under
    18  section 1106 (relating to restitution for injuries to person or
    19  property).
    20     (d)  Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
    21  words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
    22  subsection:
    23     "Entity."  Any individual, corporation, association,
    24  partnership, reciprocal exchange, inter-insurer, Lloyd's
    25  insurer, fraternal benefit society, beneficial association and
    26  any other legal entity engaged in the business of insurance,
    27  including agents, brokers and adjusters and also means health
    28  care plans as defined in 40 Pa.C.S. Chs. 61 (relating to
    29  hospital plan corporations), 63 (relating to professional health
    30  services plan corporations), 65 (relating to fraternal benefit
    19880H2178B3483                  - 2 -

     1  societies) and 67 (relating to beneficial societies) and the act
     2  of December 29, 1972 (P.L.1701, No.364), known as the Health
     3  Maintenance Organization Act. For purposes of this section,
     4  health care plans, fraternal benefit societies and beneficial
     5  societies shall be deemed to be engaged in the business of
     6  insurance.
     7     "Insurance application."  A document submitted by a
     8  prospective insured which requests insurance coverage and which
     9  provides information requested by an insurer to evaluate the
    10  risk.
    11     "Insurance claim."  A claim for payment or other benefit
    12  pursuant to an insurance policy.
    13     "Insurance policy."  A document setting forth the terms and
    14  conditions of a contract of insurance.
    15     "Statement."  Any oral or written presentation or other
    16  evidence of loss, injury or expense, including, but not limited
    17  to, any notice, statement, proof of loss, bill of lading,
    18  receipt for payment, invoice, account, estimate of property
    19  damages, bill for services, diagnosis, prescription, hospital or
    20  doctor records, X-ray, test result or computer-generated
    21  documents.
    22     SECTION 2.  (A)  THE FOLLOWING ACTS AND PARTS OF ACTS ARE      <--
    23  REPEALED:
    24     SECTION 349 OF THE ACT OF MAY 17, 1921 (P.L.682, NO.284),
    25  KNOWN AS THE INSURANCE COMPANY LAW OF 1921.
    26     (B)  THE FOLLOWING ACTS AND PARTS OF ACTS ARE REPEALED
    27  INSOFAR AS THEY ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THIS ACT:
    28     SECTIONS 604 AND 623 OF THE ACT OF MAY 17, 1921 (P.L.789,
    29  NO.285), KNOWN AS THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT ACT OF ONE THOUSAND
    30  NINE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONE.
    19880H2178B3483                  - 3 -

     1     Section 2 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.           <--




















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