GUELPH, Ont. - Insurance company Co-operators Group Ltd. is seeking $7 million in damages from five companies and six people it alleges submitted "fraudulent" documents for medical assessments, treatments and assistive devices.

According to court documents filed Friday, the defendants allegedly submitted invoices to Co-operators using the names of real doctors who never worked at assessment centres run by those companies.

The defendants named in the suit are 2171713 Ontario Inc., Century Diagnostic & Assessment Centre Inc., Fairview Assessment Centre Inc., M.D. Consult Inc. and Pacific Assessment Centre Inc. The lawsuit also names six individuals who managed those companies.

None of the allegations have been proved in court.

"The assessment centres have submitted false and fraudulent documentation for services, assistive devices, and related expenses to Co-operators totalling approximately $1.4 million," the Guelph, Ont.-based insurer said in its statement of claim.

The company said it has paid out about $400,000 for services, assistive devices and expenses based on documents, but the doctors never made those recommendations. Supporting paperwork filed with the court points to claims made in 2009 and 2010.

The insurance company also alleges the defendants conspired to obtain payments for services that weren't provided.

"Co-operators reasonably relies on all of the information in a claimant's file, including the information in the treatment plans and requests for assessments, in making determinations of the value of a particular claimant's injuries for settlement purposes," the company said.

"The submission of false documentation has skewed this determination, causing an unknown quantum of damages."

Co-operators also wants the court to declare it is not required to pay any future or outstanding bills from the defendants.

The company filed its statement of claim Friday with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice after investigating for more than a year.

It says it has implemented new procedures and practices to detect fraud during the claims process and has also expanded its investigations unit.