IFB Continues Partnerships With 2 DAs In Fight Against Fraud

The Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts is continuing its partnership with both the Worcester and Plymouth District Attorney’s offices in its fight to eliminate insurance fraud and help reduce automobile insurance premiums for all Mass. drivers.

15th Anniversary of IFB’s partnership with Worcester County DA

For the 15th year, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. is continuing a partnership with the Insurance Fraud Bureau to work to eliminate insurance fraud, an effort that helps reduce automobile insurance premiums for all drivers.

On Wednesday, Executive Director of the IFB of Massachusetts Anthony M. DiPaolo presented Mr. Early with a check for the partnership to continue in 2023.

“We are proud to continue partnering with the Insurance Fraud Bureau on this effort,” Mr. Early said. “These incidents of fraud impact us all, taking money out of the pockets of honest, hardworking citizens. Over the last 15 years, we’ve helped save millions of dollars in lower insurance premiums for Worcester County residents.”

The IFB calculates that the insurance fraud deterrence efforts have saved $28.3 million in losses in Worcester County, resulting in an average savings per vehicle of $48.

In 2022, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted 22 of these fraud cases. The IFB provides an annual grant to help fund the investigation and prosecution of staged accidents and fraudulent claim cases.

IFB investigators, local police, District Attorneys and insurance company investigators work together to detect, investigate, prosecute and prevent automobile insurance fraud.

IFB Awards Plymouth County DA’s Office $50,000

The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office has been awarded $50,000 from the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts to continue its work with the Commissioner of Insurance to fight automobile insurance fraud in Brockton and throughout Plymouth County, District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz announced today.

DA Cruz first partnered with the IFB and the Brockton Police Department in 2004. The funding delivered to the District Attorney’s Office by the IFB will supplement and support, in part, the participation of the PCDAO in the CIFI. DA Cruz accepted the funding from Anthony M. DiPaolo, executive director of the IFB. The $50,000 is funded by Arbella Mutual Insurance Company, as part of a program in coordination with the Commissioner of Insurance and the IFB.

“All of us pay the price when someone commits insurance fraud and intentionally scams the system,” DA Cruz said. “This partnership has not only curbed auto insurance fraud significantly in Brockton, but has also been a major factor in reducing premiums for policy holders across the state. We look forward to continuing this successful program with the Commissioner and the IFB in 2023.”

IFB Executive Director DiPaolo said, “The CIFI is one of the critical programs for the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts. The success the IFB has seen in Brockton is due in large part to the dedication of Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz and his office along, with the Brockton Police Department. The perseverance and hard work by all involved is a demonstration that insurance fraud will not be tolerated in Massachusetts.”

In late 2003, after a staged accident in the city of Lawrence killed a 65 year-old woman, the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts (IFB) created the Community Insurance Fraud Initiative (CIFI). The CIFI consists of specialized taskforces with local law enforcement agencies in Brockton and 10 other communities in Massachusetts. The taskforces join IFB investigators, local police, DA’s Offices, the Attorney General, and insurance company investigators to work together to detect, investigate, prevent and prosecute insurance fraud in the residual motor vehicle insurance market.