A decade-long rise in the number of auto accident lawsuits nationally cost nearly $43 billion in excess tort costs, a Triple-I study indicates. These findings help quantify the impact legal system abuse has had on both private passenger and commercial auto insurance inflation.

Defining legal system abuse

Triple-I defines Legal System Abuse as policyholder or plaintiff attorney practices which increase costs and time to settle insurance claims. While litigation is considered a policyholder’s last resort, legal system abuse exploits litigation when a disputed claim could have been resolved without judicial intervention. Legal system abuse contributes to higher costs for insurance operations and policyholder pricing.

The topic

Insurance fraud is a deliberate deception perpetrated against or by an insurance company or agent for financial gain. Fraud may be committed at different points by applicants, policyholders, third-party claimants, or professionals who provide services to claimants. Insurance agents and company employees may also commit insurance fraud. Common frauds include "padding" (inflating claims), misrepresenting facts on an insurance application, submitting claims for injuries or damage that never occurred, and staging accidents.