Virginia Code 52-37: Insurance Fraud Investigation Unit established; powers and duties of Department of State Police
A. There shall be established within the Department of State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Insurance Fraud Investigation Unit. The purposes of this unit shall be to:
Terms Used In Virginia Code 52-37
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- Insurance fraud: means any commission or attempted commission of the criminal acts and practices defined in § Virginia Code 52-36
- Person: includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof. See Virginia Code 1-230
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
1. Initiate independent inquiries and conduct independent investigations when the Department has reason to believe that insurance fraud may have been or is currently being committed, and to undertake studies to determine the extent of such insurance fraud.
2. Respond to notification or complaints alleging insurance fraud generated by federal, state and local police, other law-enforcement authorities, governmental agencies or units, and any other person.
3. Review notices and reports of insurance fraud; select the incidents of suspected fraud that, in its judgment, require further detailed investigation; and conduct the investigations.
B. The Superintendent may appoint such agents as he may deem necessary to assist the Department in carrying out its powers and duties under this chapter.
1998, c. 590.