We need your help to stop insurance claim fraud

Insurance fraud costs us all. Every time someone commits fraud against an insurance company you — and every Canadian holding an insurance policy — pays the price. Fraud costs insurance companies and Canadians billions of dollars every year.

Whether an accident is staged, benefit forms are falsified, or a policy holder files a legitimate claim but exaggerates the damage to get more settlement money, these are all examples of insurance fraud and may be considered a criminal offense.

We need your help identifying and reporting insurance fraud. If you see or suspect insurance fraud, contact the IBC Tip Line at 877.IBC.TIPS (422.8477) or visit the IBC website.

Here are three common types of fraud to watch out for:

A staged accident is an auto collision that is intentionally caused or alleged for the purpose of collecting insurance payments for injuries that are either nonexistent or greatly exaggerated. Sometimes, staged accidents are set up or committed by organized fraud rings and may include involvement of tow operators or medical care providers.

Examples of staged accidents may include a car in front of you stopping suddenly for no reason making it impossible for you to avoid hitting the car, or another driver indicating that it is safe for you to merge or back out, then hitting your vehicle intentionally.  Some staged accidents involve the drivers of both vehicles intentionally colliding.

A customer at a business or restaurant pretends to slip and fall to the floor, often in a bathroom or kitchen with no witnesses. The person then exaggerates or reports nonexistent injures to receive settlement money.

In this type of fraud, a medical provider bills an insurance company for treatments that were not provided to a patient, or the provider misrepresents the true cost of the services to receive a higher payment from the insurance company.                                       

If you witness, or are the victim of suspected fraud, it is important to report it. Contact our team here.