What is defined as deceiving an insurer to profit from an insurance policy?

The concept related to deceiving an insurer to profit from an insurance policy is best described as hard fraud. Hard fraud involves intentional actions, such as staging incidents or submitting false claims with the explicit aim of illegally obtaining benefits from an insurance policy. This form of fraud is typically clear-cut and involves overt actions to deceive the insurer for financial gain.

In contrast, soft fraud, sometimes referred to as "opportunistic fraud," generally involves exaggerating a legitimate claim or providing misleading information rather than outright deception. It’s less about staging events and more about embellishing facts.

Moral hazard refers to a situation where the behavior of the insured party may change as a result of having insurance coverage, potentially leading to riskier behavior because they are protected against losses. Legal hazard, on the other hand, involves circumstances that increase the likelihood of a loss due to legal processes, such as laws or regulations that affect the risks of insuring an entity.

In this context, the distinction of "hard fraud" captures the essence of the definition you're looking for. It represents actions taken with deceitful intent to gain unlawful benefits from insurance policies, making it the most accurate definition for acts of this nature.