To think this is just stealing.

[Parrotmore]

A couple I know have be redecorating their front room and have been looking at new furniture so the husband purposely knocked paint off the top of his ladder splashing over the sofa, the tv, carpet and some oft he units.
They have claimed and been given Harvey's vouchers to use to replace it all.
Plus the company replaced the tv but as theirs wasn't like for like (old model) they got the newer model.
This is just fraud right??
I'm really disgusted by this and now my opinion of them is that they are just liars.
They think everybody does it and I'm sensitive but I don't think I am.
So Ainu to feel this way. I now wouldn't trust them at all.

[GarlicShake]

I'm not condoning what your friend did. But "it puts all our premiums up" is a fallacy. Insurance companies don't work like mass piggy-banks. They're sophisticated financial machines, which invest your premiums in various ways to make profits. Their success has bugger all to do with what they pay out in domestic claims; it's all about their skills in working the money market.

So don't go around deliberately destroying your possessions, and also don't kid yourself his little fraud has cost you anything :)

[MrsHathaway]

Agreed - it is fraud and not everyone does it.

I touched someone's car in a car park a few years ago (mitigating circumstances but 100% my fault). Swapped details on the spot, then he walked away to his appointment. I took lots of photos on my phone of both cars.

I was very glad I had. He contacted me later that day to claim for total damage to a system I couldn't possibly have touched. I replied asking whereabouts on the car so I could reconcile it with the photos I'd taken ... and never heard from him again.

It's my immediate reaction in any similar situation now (eg videoing as a passenger when DH encounters an aggressive driver). Tempted to get a dash cam.

[PeaStalks]

I suspect that people who do this kind of fraud would not steal from your wallet, or shoplift or break into someone's house and burgle it. Yet they would sneer at benefit fraud.
All theft.
All dishonesty.
As is paying the builder in cash to avoid VAT.
Lying about a child's age to get cheaper tickets.
There is always a line that someone will cross.

[Unicow]

Not only is it fraud but it also fucks over innocent people. I got £200 when we had a flood that caused £3k worth of damage as the insurance company refused to pay more.

They sent a heavy handed investigator round and tried to claim fraud and we were too ill to fight it. It was suggested that we just accept the £200 or else have a fraud claim logged against us and I was terrified of being refused insurance and having to declare it all.

[AyeAmarok]

Yep, it's fraud.

I remember hearing about a street in Liverpool where someone claimed for a new sofa because it had paint spilt on it. Claims inspector came out, looked at it, paid claim.

Few months later, a house a few doors down put in a claim for a new sofa as theirs had paint spilt on it. Claims inspector came out, looked at it, paid claim.

Few months later, another neighbour put in a claim for a new sofa because theirs had paint spilt on it...

Yep, same sofa just got passed along the street! But I think it was a dozen or so people who got away with it before it was spotted! I think insurance companies are a bit sharper on the uptake these days though.

[Roussette]

Don't agree Garlic.

This is taken from the .gov.uk website...

Insurance fraud is not victimless. It pushes up the cost of insurance for honest consumers; funds the wider activities of criminal gangs; and puts pressure on essential public services, such as the NHS and courts. Contrary to the perception of many of those who commit fraud, they are not stealing from a faceless corporation. The costs are paid by their friends, families and neighbours through higher insurance premiums. The value of detected fraud is in excess of £1 billion and undetected insurance fraud is estimated to cost the UK economy more than £2 billion a year.Furthermore the normalisation of fraudulent behaviour is socially corrosive and erodes trust

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

I'm surprised they got a pay-out TBH - my ex-neighbour tried it, and the assessor they send round said the claim would almost certainly be refused because of his "contributory negligence" in not covering things up when painting

Then again, he was very loud mouthed, a typical "wide boy" and a loan shark too, so maybe the assessor saw straight through him

[SecretsAndStuff21]

I recently had a minor car accident. Slow moving traffic ,the car behind went into mine causing some damage.
I asked if he would mind not going through the insurance as it would up my premium by £££'s.
He was more than happy to oblige, and a couple of weeks later he paid the garage for repairs to my car.
I have never claimed on my contents insurance ,because knowing my luck they would find some loophole for not paying out and at the same time increase my premium.

[Buckinbronco]

I think big companies have done a good one on you lot to see you this angry about them paying out for a false claim. It's part and parcel of their business and they accept that. Don't get too worked up
On their behalf

[AyeAmarok]

Garlic I'm afraid you're wrong. It does put premiums up for everyone else.

Insurance companies don't make much money via investments these days at all. Market being what it is, and fraudulent claims being what they are.

[Roussette]

hmmm Buck so it's ok for people to do this then - just part and parcel of life. Where do we stop with that mindset? I don't see it as insurance cos "doing a good one on us lot" and I'm not sure they accept it lying down. They have an obligation to stamp out insurance fraud.

TBH I'd shop the people doing this. I really would and if more people were incensed about this sort of thing, perhaps insurance fraud, and thereby premiums, would drop.

Luckily the insce cos are getting their act together and data sharing is helping somewhat.

[Buckinbronco]

Obviously insurance companies could fund fraud loss from rehire profits. But they don't, because their shareholders would lose out. And that can't happen. The innocent general public must lose out instead. Poor insurance company

[Buckinbronco]

Their profits, but rehire profits!

[MrsHathaway]

A dodgy claim changes the risk profile for other customers as well as reducing profits. Data tables stop saying "average customer claims 0.0056 sofas per year at average cost of £600" and start saying "0.0066 ... £1000". Insurance is all about tables.

[LurkingHusband]

I asked if he would mind not going through the insurance as it would up my premium by £££'s.

You did tell your insurers though, didn't you ? Because if you didn't, you may not be covered.

[MrsHathaway]

Where do you think "their profits" come from?

Our premiums, mostly. Obviously.

This is like the presidents thread again.

[GnomeDePlume]

I knew someone who faked a burglary. Goods were found in their goldfish pond. They are now blacklisted and cant get household insurance.

[Buckinbronco]

I don't understand your point Mrs Hathaway? I am well aware where profits come from (well, well aware!)

[Buckinbronco]

That's not true lurking. You can sort out an accident without involving your insurers. They just want to know so they can put your premium up.

[LurkingHusband]

That's not true lurking. You can sort out an accident without involving your insurers. They just want to know so they can put your premium up.

It's in your policy booklet for a start - you are required to report all accidents - even if there's no claim. And if the premium should go up, it's because you've just shown the world you are a greater risk than someone who hasn't had an accident.

By all means, play fast and loose with your car insurance. I would hope for the PPs sake, that the car she hit didn't report it to their insurers. Because now the insurance company can catch them out in a lie when they renew and say "no accidents".

[MyLocal]

YANBU, someone I know very well has done this twice. I cannot believe the insurance companies even believe her. Not only that she thinks it is OK to ring a popular mail order company up and say something hasn't arrived if it has arrived and was left outside. She sees it as a bonus. She has also claimed several times for lost/stolen money and valuables on holiday and even gone to local police stations whilst there to get a crime report/lost property document. She just laughs and sees it all as fair play and an extra income.

Quite frankly I was and am appalled at the things they have done, and continue to do and boast about openly.

DS backed out of a car park at the supermarket late one night as a taxi pulled up behind him. He brushed the taxi slightly. There was no damage to either car and a supermarket employee was getting out of the taxi at the time. He acted as a witness that there was no damage to either car or himself or taxi driver. The taxi driver was keen to disappear ASAP as he had other fares and was losing money and didn't want my son to call the police.

3 weeks later the insurance company rang to say said taxi driver was claiming for a extensive damages to car, whip lash and loss of earnings.

All the above disgust me.

[LurkingHusband]

Insurance is all about tables.

As a colleague once said, actuaries are people who found accountancy too racy ....

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Another one disagreeing with Garlic I'm afraid. Insurance companies invest funds in a variety of ways, of course they do - but to say that how much they pay out in claims doesn't have an influence on insurance premiums is not accurate.