Insurance fraud is a serious problem in the United States, and as these crimes continue to grow in number, so does the creativity and complexity of the scenarios plotted by criminals. You may be completely caught of guard one day as you are sucked into the middle of a planned insurance fraud claim. These elephant insurance claims are costing Americans billions of dollars each year, and while false insurance claims are pervasive throughout the nation, they are being monitored and caught by insurers.
How can insurers thwart fraudulent insurance claims? They can take a look at your claims history and determine if you have filed a lot of losses over your lifetime, which can often be a leading tip. A list created by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) consists of 23 suspicious loss indicators” and can be used to spot false insurance claims. Hiring private investigators is sometimes necessary to uncover the truth about funny insurance claims.
Another way to detect false insurance claims is if they involve vehicle crashes that result in fabricated or embellished injuries. You may be part of the scam and not even know it because health professionals may state that you have a bogus injury, and will bill your insurer for the visit and treatment. Lawyers can then jump into the picture and try to convince you to demand a settlement for your injuries. Medical providers and lawyers may even ask you to participate in the scam and offer you some of the profits for your help!
A more high tech way to spot false insurance claims is through the use of complex computer software detection systems that can expose suspicious billing trends. Sometimes insurers find it necessary to use Special Investigation Units, or SIUs, to get to the bottom of false insurance claims. SIUs often have experience working as detectives, police officers, and medical personnel, and can perform tests and checks to spot individuals attempting fraud. A simpler way to detect false insurance claims is through a quick check of your credit history. People with poor credit or financial issues are deemed more likely to commit fraud.
The popularity of social media has proved an effective way to find false insurance claims. Insurers are following up on popular social media sites to check up on potentially suspicious claims. Many insurers are asking for help from the public, because false insurance claims are as much of a problem for them as they are for you. They cost both insurance companies and the public billions each year! Insurers also perform cross checks to spot false insurance claims, and this simple process proves to be quite easy and successful.