This is a local story out of Massachusetts, but it is worth a look simply because it illustrates the impact of insurance fraud on auto insurance rates for all of us. The story is that drivers in communities with an auto-insurance fraud task force will see a higher average auto insurance discount in upcoming renewals than the rest of the state.

“The reduction this year is largely attributable to these task forces, particularly in communities like Lowell, who have been fighting insurance fraud,” said Daniel Johnston, executive director of the Automobile Insurers Bureau of Massachusetts. “I’ve always said if we take fraud out of the system, we could get rates down.”

Experienced drivers with standard coverage in the rest of the state will see an 11.7 percent reduction and will pay about $114 less, according to the bureau. But Lowell drivers will see about $216 knocked off their insurance bills, or a 15.2 percent reduction.

Lawrence had the highest reduction in the state at 24 percent. Dorchester had a 17.8 percent cut, and Springfield a 17.7 percent cut. Currently, 12 cities have task forces devoted to decreasing insurance fraud, and those cities represented the bulk of insurance claim decreases. The 12 cities had a $192 million reduction in insurance claims last year, while the entire state had a $300 million reduction.