Brochures
Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
Brochure text:
AUTO INSURANCE FRAUD
the crime you pay for
DRIVEN TO DECEIVE
Your auto insurance policy is your road to freedom. You can drive wherever you want — free of financial worry if your auto’s damaged, stolen or someone’s injured in an accident.
Most people are law-abiding. But some drivers willingly swindle auto insurance policies to enrich themselves at the expense of honest policyholders everywhere.
It’s called insurance fraud — and it’s a crime. People steal nearly $15 billion through bogus auto insurance claims every year. That’s enough money to fill the gas tank of every car in America for five years.
We all pay a big price. And it’s a price we can’t afford.
Here’s what you should know about auto insurance fraud, the price you pay — and how you can fight back…
DOLLARS AND DENTSToo often, normally honest people commit small auto insurance scams just to save a few dollars. They think, big deal, it’s just a little white lie. Other auto swindles are larger, organized and steal thousands of dollars. Either way, they’re all crimes, and you pay the price.
Application scams. People casually lie on their insurance application to lower their premium a small amount. Like listing a fake address… or saying they drive fewer miles than they really do.
Padding smaller claims. A policyholder “innocently” adds a few extra CDs or a tennis racquet to an insurance claim after a car break-in. Or asks the repair shop to charge a little extra money to offset the deductible.
Fake theft. Some people hide or torch their auto, then falsely tell their insurer it was stolen. Usually they want a big insurance payoff — and to escape monthly payments they can’t afford.
Crooked body shops.Check your invoice carefully. Dishonest body shops secretly charge your policy for repairs that weren’t made, or car parts that weren’t damaged.
Get mad, fight back...Report suspected scams to your auto insurer and state insurance department. Don’t take fraud sitting down.
STAGED ACCIDENTS
Hardened crooks lure innocent drivers into car crashes to make large claims for fake injuries or bogus car damage — at your expense. You’re usually blamed, even though you were set up.
Swoop and squat.The driver in front of you deliberately jams on his brakes, forcing you to rear-end his car.
Drive down. A driver waves you to pull out of a parking space or into merging traffic, but then crashes into you and later denies waving.
Sideswipe. A crooked motorist on the inside lane of a dual left-turn lane drifts into the outer lane where you’re driving, thus forcing you to collide.
Get mad, fight back… Drive defensively and never tailgate… Call the police right away... Keep a disposable camera in your glove compartment and take photos of the crash scene… Get all names, phones and insurance info… Report suspected scams to your auto insurer and state insurance department.
THE PRICE YOU PAY
Everyone pays a price for auto insurance scams. For honest citizens, it’s time to get mad. For potential fraud perps, it’s time to think twice. Consider…
Higher premiums. Everyone’s auto premiums stay higher because insurers must pass fraud costs to policyholders.
Damage and trauma. Staged accidents can inflict large claims against your auto policy. You’re a victim, but you’ll have big repair hassles plus the trauma of a crash. You also could lose your coverage, pay higher premiums, and even be hurt or killed.
You can get caught. Committing insurance fraud is a great way to ruin your life. There’s a strong chance you’ll get caught. This can mean…
- jail and fines
- criminal record
- lost job and ruined career
- embarrassment with family and friends
- you’ll lose your auto coverage
- you’ll pay a lot more for new insuranc
- you may lose your driving privileges.
