Oklahoma Insurance Department to Cut 6 Fraud Investigators

Oklahoma’s new insurance commissioner plans to lay off six of the office’s nine fraud investigators.

Commissioner John Doak says the cuts will save $323,000 per year and will enable the office to focus on fraud allegedly committed by insurance companies.

Doak’s office told The Oklahoman that it has 142 open cases, but 120 of those cases involve fraud allegations brought by insurance companies against policyholders. The remaining 22 cases involve policyholders who have accused insurance companies of fraud.

Doak’s office says its purpose should be protecting consumers and that the insurance companies should not be allowed to rely on the state to investigate claims by its policyholders.

Information from: The Oklahoman