North Carolinians had a reason to cheer as Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey revealed the North Carolina Department of Insurance saved or recovered a record-breaking $144 million for residents in 2024, in an announcement cited by the North Carolina Department of Insurance's official press release.

The sum, which surpasses the previous year's $130 million marks an all-time high since Commissioner Causey assumed office in 2017, the savings stemmed from a composite of insurance fraud restitution, external reviews, along consumer services, were a thrust of the department's efforts that they managed to surpass the former year's accomplishments, help numerous individuals.

Among the notable elements of the Department's work highlighted in the statement, assistance was provided to residents to claim $70.5 million in life insurance payouts that had previously been lost, and intervention by DOI's consumer experts helped policyholders clear obstacles with insurance firms to the tune of $18.5 million. Insurance fraud, a costly nemesis to the tune of nearly $308.6 billion annually for Americans as per a 2022 study for the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, was reined in as the Department recovered $22.1 million in fraudulent expenditure.

In addition to these monetary recoveries, the Department's Criminal Investigations Division made 406 arrests and secured 218 convictions throughout the year, these numbers reflect the unwavering dedication to combatting insurance-related crimes and protecting citizens from financial predations, furthermore, the SmartNC program was instrumental in aiding North Carolinians to gain $2.4 million in approvals for necessary medical procedures or drugs that had initially been denied to them.

"My number one goal each year is to serve the consumers and policyholders of this state," Commissioner Causey affirmed, expressing pride in the annual achievements for citizens and heralding a commitment to continue such services "in 2025 and beyond."