Insurance fraud disgusts me. However, 7 years is quite a long time. Would the same penalty be applied if the criminal physically stole the same amount of money in cash that would have been paid out of the policy?
Most likely not, because while the impact of physical theft of cash is limited to those directly connected to the funds or item stolen, insurance fraud has a much more far-reaching effect on innocent parties, namely all law-abiding policyholders who end up having to shoulder the burden of rising insurance costs as a result. Thus, the punishment fits the crime.
Insurance fraud disgusts me. However, 7 years is quite a long time. Would the same penalty be applied if the criminal physically stole the same amount of money in cash that would have been paid out of the policy?
Most likely not, because while the impact of physical theft of cash is limited to those directly connected to the funds or item stolen, insurance fraud has a much more far-reaching effect on innocent parties, namely all law-abiding policyholders who end up having to shoulder the burden of rising insurance costs as a result. Thus, the punishment fits the crime.