Which term applied to damaging statements about an insurer could lead to legal repercussions?

The term "defamation" specifically refers to false statements that harm the reputation of an individual or organization. In the context of insurance, when damaging statements are made about an insurer that are untrue, those statements can lead to legal issues because they can damage the insurer's reputation and business. Defamation can take the form of slander (spoken statements) or libel (written statements), and if an insurer can show that the false statements have caused harm, they may pursue legal action for damages.

In contrast, negligence involves a failure to exercise reasonable care, which is not directly linked to making false statements about an organization. Misrepresentation refers to providing false information or misleading statements, typically related to the sale of insurance policies itself rather than damaging statements about an insurer. Fraudulent claims generally pertain to dishonest claims made by policyholders to benefit from insurance coverage fraudulently, rather than to statements that harm the insurer’s reputation. Thus, "defamation" is the term that accurately captures the legal implications of such damaging statements about an insurer.