Tennessee Code Annotated

Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-133 (2026)

False or fraudulent insurance claims

✓ current as of May 2026
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Any person who intentionally presents or causes to be presented a false or fraudulent claim, or any proof in support of such claim, for the payment of a loss, or other benefits, upon any contract of insurance coverage, or automobile comprehensive or collision insurance, or certificate of such insurance or prepares, makes or subscribes to a false or fraudulent account, certificate, affidavit or proof of loss, or other documents or writing, with intent that the same may be presented or used in support of such claim, is punished as in the case of theft.

Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1.


Notes of Decisions
Cited in 15 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1999–2024 · leading case: State of Tennessee v. Dale Keith Larkin, 443 S.W.3d 751 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2013).
State of Tennessee v. Dale Keith Larkin, 443 S.W.3d 751 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2013). · cites it 2× “The Defendant was convicted of one count of this crime based on his claim for proceeds under the life insurance policy issued by Fidelity & Guaranty, which the Defendant and the victim purchased in conjunction with refinancing their real estate investments.”
Logan v. State, 48 S.W.3d 296 (Tex. App. 2001). · cites it 2× “§§ 53-442 , 53-443, 53a-122—53a-125b (1999); Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-14-133 (2000) & § 39-14-105 (2001).”
First Nat'l Bank v. Simerlein (In re Simerlein), 497 B.R. 525 (Bankr. E.D. Tenn. 2013). · cites it 3× “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-14-133. As an initial matter, these statutes are criminal statutes and have no application *541 within the scope of this adversary proceeding.”
State v. Cross, 93 S.W.3d 891 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2002). · cites it 3× “See Tenn.Code Ann. §§ 39-14-133, 39-14-301. The trial court imposed Range I concurrent sentences of three years, granted probation for 10 years, and ordered restitution to his residential insurer in the amount of $24,752.”
Wassom v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 173 S.W.3d 775 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 2× “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-14-133 provides that "[a]ny person who intentionally presents or causes to be presented a false or fraudulent claim, or any proof in support of such claim, for the payment of a loss, or other benefits, upon any contract of insurance coverage, or automobile…”
State of Tennessee v. John M. Fletcher (Tenn. Crim. App. 2024). · cites it 12× “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-133 ; Mitchell, 592 S.”
State of Tennessee v. Reuben Eugene Mitchell (Tenn. 2019). · cites it 8× “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-133 (2010). 2 Allstate to make repairs.”
State of Tennessee v. Reuben Eugene Mitchell - concurring in part, dissenting in part (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018). · cites it 6× “T.C.A. § 39-14-133. When viewed in a light most favorable to the State, the evidence presented at trial established that the Defendant committed arson by burning the home in which he was living, reported the fire loss to his insurance company, met with a fire adjuster for the…”
State of Tennessee v. Edwin Millan (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018). · cites it 2× “§ 39-14-133; one count of initiating a false police report, see id.”
State of Tennessee v. Reuben Eugene Mitchell (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018). · cites it 2× “T.C.A. § 39-14-133 (2014). The Defendant legally, and under the policy, did not initiate a claim because he did not file the necessary and required documentation pursuant to the policy, including a proof of loss, in the requisite time period.”
State of Tennessee v. Terry Boyd Collins (Tenn. Crim. App. 2005). · cites it 3× “Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-14-133 defines presentation of a fraudulent insurance claim as the intentional[] present[ation] or caus[ing] to be presented a false or fraudulent claim, or any proof in support of such claim, for the payment of a loss, or other benefits, upon…”
State v. Larry Franks & William Turner (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010). · cites it 3× “LAFFERTY, SPECIAL JUDGE OPINION The defendants, Larry Franks and William Turner, were found guilty of insurance fraud in violation of Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-133 by a Lewis County jury.”
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