| The current economic crisis has resulted in tough | | | | suspicious. Insurance fraud investigators contacted |
| times for most consumers. Consumers have | | | | another person who had been involved in the |
| been put under increased financial pressure and | | | | accident and this person confirmed that the |
| this has led to greater temptation to use car and | | | | accident had occurred at 2am and that the |
| home insurance claims to obtain extra money. | | | | policyholder had failed to stop after the accident. |
| Insurance companies have not stood by idly. | | | | The insurance company then suspected that the |
| Insurers have responded to this perceived | | | | policyholder had been drinking before the accident |
| increase in fraud by demanding additional | | | | and had tried to conceal this fact by changing the |
| information from policyholders and in some cases | | | | time of the accident. In order to establish the |
| interrogating them. This additional information is | | | | policyholder's whereabouts before the accident, |
| often quite confidential in nature and is not | | | | they requested that he supply them with his call |
| supplied willingly by policyholders. Examples of this | | | | records from his cell phone. The policyholder |
| information are bank statements, financial records, | | | | refused to supply these records and the insurer |
| phone records and particulars about the | | | | rejected his claim based on his unwillingness to |
| policyholder's movements prior to incidents. | | | | supply information that was of vital importance to |
| Insurers believe that they are entitled to request | | | | the claim. |
| this information as most policies state that they | | | | Insurance companies will check information that |
| have the right to 'additional information which is of | | | | policyholders supply against the records kept by |
| vital importance' to fairly settling insurance claims. | | | | the police, ambulance services and others involved |
| Consumers on the other hand point to their | | | | in accidents. If discrepancies are found then |
| constitutional right to privacy in order to counter | | | | insurance companies become suspicious and launch |
| such requests. Disputes often lead to lawsuits or | | | | further investigations. |
| lengthy investigations by the insurance | | | | Another example of policyholders changing the |
| ombudsman, but the best way to avoid such | | | | details of what transpired is a man who reported |
| situations is to be honest and to supply accurate | | | | that his car had been stolen while he was |
| information to your insurer from the start. | | | | watching a movie at a mall. It was later |
| If an incident occurs, like a car accident or the | | | | discovered that the vehicle had been stolen |
| theft of your vehicle, provide an accurate and | | | | almost immediately after he had parked his car. |
| complete account of what transpired and do not | | | | He falsely reported that he had only noticed the |
| try to hide or neglect to mention information in | | | | theft after watching a movie because he thought |
| the hope of improving your chances of filing a | | | | it would be more believable and help expedite his |
| successful claim. | | | | claim. |
| Insurance companies become very suspicious | | | | It is vital that you never try to anticipate what |
| when policyholders contradict or change the | | | | information your insurance company wants and |
| information regarding incidents. An example of this | | | | change the details of what transpired in order to |
| is a real-life incident where a policyholder initially | | | | 'help things along'. Always give truthful and |
| reported that a car accident occurred at 7pm, but | | | | accurate information. If your insurer finds a |
| then later changed the time to 9pm. Finally the | | | | discrepancy in your account of the incident, they |
| policyholder stated that it occurred at 2am, by | | | | will perceive your claim as possibly being |
| which time the insurance company had become | | | | fraudulent. |