Health Insurance Frauds - Not Good for Policyholders

1. Opportunity Fraud - Any information which is inaccurate or misleading is called opportunity fraud. It is typically done by a policyholder to ensure that they get the underwriting in their favour.
2. Deliberate Fraud - Here, an accident or loss that is covered by the policy is presented purposely to get the benefit.
3. External Fraud - This type of fraud is committed by policyholders, beneficiaries, vendors or against a company.
4. Internal Fraud - This type of fraud is committed by against a company or a policyholder by the employees such as agents, managers or executives.
5. Fraud by Policyholders - As customer now understand and know the features and terms and conditions of the insurance policies, they try to reap benefits from the policies through fraudulent activities. Some of the frauds committed by policyholders are claim fraud, eligibility fraud and application fraud.

1. Claim Fraud - This is one of the biggest problem faced by the insurance industry at present. When policyholders make an illegal claim to get the benefitted from the policy, then it is considered as a claim fraud. There are many cases where illegal claims have been made. For example - invisible injury, unwitnessed accidents that are not reported on the spot, etc. In some cases, the insured and the physicians together commit this type of fraud. Health care providers also commit this fraud by billing insurers for treatment that is covered by the policy of the insured, even if the same treatment has not been given to the patients. Some policyholders purchase various health insurance policies without informing the insurance providers to enjoy claim settlement from all of them.
2. Eligibility Fraud - Policyholders commit this fraud by providing false details about them to be eligible for the policy. They provide wrong information about their pre-existing diseases, employment status, dependent, etc.
3. Application Fraud - Policyholders commit this fraud by entering wrong details in the application form about the diseases they suffer from, claims, etc., to get extra benefits. For example - Some policyholders write wrong information about the diseases to avail extensive coverage.

GST rate of 18% applicable for all financial services effective July 1, 2017.

Disclaimer: Premiums may vary depending upon factors like age, location and prevailing taxes/GST.