How to report Insurance Fraud
Insurance Fraud impacts you and your premium.
However, Insurance Confidential allows suspected insurance fraud to be reported easily, quickly, and most importantly, anonymously.
When someone provides false information to an insurance company to gain something of value that they would not have received if they had told the truth, they have committed insurance fraud. While the majority of insurance claims are genuine, there is a small percentage of claims that can be either exaggerated or even totally made up!
What is insurance fraud?
Insurance fraud can take many forms and can often be difficult to spot. One type of fraud which can be hard to spot involves the lodging of false or exaggerated claims. Other types of fraud can be carried out by providing false or misleading documents to support a claim, like fake doctor’s notes or receipts. Staged accidents can also be a method used by fraudsters to try and get a claim from an insurer.
Of course, in a fast-paced digital world, even insurance fraud is changing and new types of fraud are emerging. Cyber-related insurance fraud is seeing a particular rise across Europe, with a common tactic being fraudsters using personal data to pose as innocent policyholders and then taking out a policy in their name.
Insurance fraud can lead to other policyholders having to bear the impact of fraudulent claims, sometimes leading to increased premiums or longer, more intense procedures when making a claim. However, fraud can also lead to insurers having to use resources to investigate fraud that they could instead be using to provide support to customers.
Some types of fraud are especially dangerous and can put people at risk, such as people having intentional car accidents or even setting fire to a building to make a claim for the property.
How can I report insurance fraud?
If you suspect that somebody might be engaging in insurance fraud, there are several ways that you can let the correct people know, even if you want to do it anonymously.
One of the easiest ways to report possible insurance fraud anonymously is through the www.insuranceconfidential.ie website. This website offers a simple form that you can fill out with the relevant details of the suspected fraud, and you can even do this without leaving your contact details or name. Insurance Confidential is run by Insurance Ireland, which is an association that represents insurance companies in Ireland.
The form will ask you for some information about the type of fraud, the incident that is being reported, the person involved, and, if you choose to answer, your name and email address.
Once you submit a report through Insurance Confidential, Insurance Ireland will review the report while ensuring total confidentiality and then pass it on to the relevant authorities to investigate. You can also contact Insurance Confidential by phone on 1800 339 339.
Alternatively, you can contact your local Garda Station to report suspected fraud. It is important that you retain any information that you feel could be important in the course of an investigation into the incident, such as emails or text messages.
Are you sure it is anonymous?
Yes, you can report insurance fraud completely anonymously through the form on www.insuranceconfidential.ie. You are not required to provide any personal details to do so.