Over the past few years, Tampa has become ground zero for PIP (personal injury protection) fraud, with the result being radical rate hikes for auto insurance consumers in Hillsborough County (Update:the area is second in the state behind Miami, and third in the nation now in faked accidents).
Last year alone officials say there were 487 questionable claims and staged traffic accidents in Tampa, while Florida ranks tops in auto insurance fraud.
Hillsborough Commissioner Kevin Beckner began investigating the problem in the summer of 2010 and worked with officials in the Sheriff's Department to address the issue. But because the problem is state wide, he deferred any legislative action this past spring, presumably after the Florida Legislature would address the problem.
But they didn't, which then pushed the County to pass their own ordinance earlier this year.
Wednesday in Tampa, Governor Rick Scott, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, county officials as well as local citizens who have been adversely affected by PIP fraud, met for a roundtable discussion at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office in Ybor City.
This article appears in Nov 10-16, 2011.