News: 2012 Press Release

Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones today announced that nearly $32 million in grants will be distributed to District Attorneys in California by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) in order to support their efforts in investigating and prosecuting workers' compensation insurance fraud.

"Without question, workers' compensation insurance fraud is problem that brings a significant cost with it in California," Commissioner Jones said. "During any time, but especially during these challenging economic times, this type of fraud places a significant added burden on the system. We have an obligation to provide protection to injured workers who require both care and compensation so they are able to get back to work as quickly as possible, while also rooting out fraud perpetrated by those seeking to game the system."

Every year, the Fraud Assessment Commission determines the grant funding based on assessments placed on California employers. CDI leads the Workers' Compensation Grant Review Panel that reviews and makes grant funding recommendations based on multiple criteria including previous year performance based on application submitted by counties. Subsequently, the panel then sends a recommendation to the Insurance Commissioner who either accepts or amends the panel's recommendation. Upon completion, the Commissioner's recommendation is submitted to the Fraud Assessment Commission for their advice and consent.

The Fraud Assessment Commission agreed with the Commissioner's recommendations in their meeting on June 20, ratifying the grant allocations. Below is a list of funding to the counties: