(a) It is unlawful to make or cause to be made any knowingly false or fraudulent statement, whether made orally or in writing, of any fact material to the determination of the premium, rate, or cost of any policy of workers’ compensation insurance, for the purpose of reducing the premium, rate, or cost of the insurance. Any person convicted of violating this subdivision shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for one year, or pursuant to subdivision (h) of § 1170 of the Penal Code for two, three, or five years, or by a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or double the value of the fraud, whichever is greater, or by both that imprisonment and fine.

(b) Any person who violates subdivision (a) and who has a prior felony conviction of the offense set forth in that subdivision shall receive a two-year enhancement for each prior conviction in addition to the sentence provided in subdivision (a). The existence of any fact that would subject a person to a penalty enhancement shall be alleged in the information or indictment and either admitted by the defendant in open court, or found to be true by the jury trying the issue of guilt or by the court where guilt is established by plea of guilty or nolo contendere or by trial by the court sitting without a jury.

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Terms Used In California Insurance Code 11760

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • County: includes "city and county. See California Insurance Code 14
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
  • Person: means any person, association, organization, partnership, business trust, limited liability company, or corporation. See California Insurance Code 19
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 217. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.)