Insurance: fraud prevention.

Existing law prohibits knowingly employing runners, cappers, steerers, or other persons to procure clients or patients to perform or obtain services or benefits under workers' compensation coverage, or to procure clients or patients to perform or obtain services or benefits under a contract of insurance or that will be the basis for a claim against an insured individual or his or her insurer. Existing law authorizes a district attorney, the Insurance Commissioner, or an interested person to bring a civil action for a violation of these prohibitions, as specified, and makes a person who commits a violation subject to a civil penalty of not less than $5,000 and not more than $10,000. This bill would similarly prohibit a person from acting in the capacity of a runner, capper, or steerer, or to otherwise procure clients or patients to perform or obtain services or benefits under workers' compensation coverage, or to procure clients or patients to perform or obtain services or benefits under a contract of insurance or that will be the basis for a claim against an insured individual or his or her insurer. The district attorney, the commissioner, or an interested person would be authorized to bring a civil action for a violation of these provisions.