By Dennis Jay
Jan 2, 2009, 4:18 PM EST

Let’s make 2009 the year we finally turn the corner on insurance fraud and truly make a difference in curbing this crime — and in the process, helping to keep insurance affordable and making the insurance system fairer for everyone.

To that end, here are a few New Year’s resolutions for the fraud-fighting community:

Insurers: Resolve to adopt a zero-tolerance attitude towards fraud. Provide adequate resources to your SIUs and recognize that a down economy is exactly the wrong time to cut back on anti-fraud activities;

Fraud bureaus: Resolve to become more efficient and adopt more strategies to deter fraud, including publicizing arrests and convictions;

Regulators: Resolve to seek greater uniformity in anti-fraud regulations from state to state, and ensure all insurers comply with anti-fraud requirements;

Prosecutors: Resolve to find creative ways to accept more fraud cases, especially the difficult ones.

State legislators: Resolve to give fraud-fighters more tools by enacting needed fraud legislation, and that goes double for lawmakers in Oregon, Virginia and Alabama, the last states that lack even a basic insurance fraud statutue;

President-elect Obama and Congress: Resolve to include strong anti-fraud provisions in any new healthcare initiatives;

Consumers: Resolve to resist the temptation to inflate insurance claims; encourage your friends, family and co-workers to stay honest.

And lastly, the coalition: Resolve to strengthen partnerships with all constituents groups, including other anti-fraud organizations, and to have a measurable impact on reducing insurance fraud.

May you stick to all of your resolutions and have a successful 2009!