IBC urges consumers to learn how to identify insurance fraud

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) estimates insurance fraud to be a multi-million-dollar business in Ontario, contributing to the high cost of auto insurance in the province.
IBC recognized Fraud Prevention Month in March, by urging consumers to take the time to learn how to identify insurance fraud and report suspicious activity.
Insurance fraud comes in many forms, and the perpetrators don’t always look like criminals, IBC notes. It can involve normally law-abiding citizens who see a chance to make extra dollars by padding an otherwise legitimate claim.
IBC notes insurance fraud can include the following situations:
•knowingly lying on an insurance application;
•claiming previous damage to a vehicle along with damage from a new collision;
•claiming for injuries that don’t exist after a collision;
•as a health care provider, submitting claims for additional treatments after a person injured in an auto accident has already recovered; and
•making an injury claim for a collision that never happened.
“When someone makes a false or exaggerated claim, honest consumers pay more than they should for insurance,” said Rick Dubin, IBC’s vice president of investigative services.