How to Protect Yourself From Insurance Fraud

Unfortunately, scams are on the rise. With the increased use of technology and the ever-expanding amount of online data being collected and stored by companies, fraudsters have more opportunities than ever to scam individuals and businesses.

Everybody who uses technology needs to be extra cautious, especially if they make online purchases. There’s always a risk of scammers accessing your information when you scroll through random websites or enter your details into an online store.

Scammers use additional tactics like sending emails that contain faulty links. When you click on one of these links, it causes malware to download onto your device, which gives the fraudsters access to all of your personal information.

One of the most common ways fraudsters get money out of vulnerable people is through insurance fraud. In this article, we’re going to cover what insurance fraud is and how you can protect yourself from it.

What is Insurance Fraud?

Insurance fraud refers to the act of trying to defraud the insurance process. This type of fraud can be committed in a number of ways but usually involves the scammer trying to gain money or benefits that are not theirs to claim.

Many drivers are victims of car insurance fraud when another driver tries to make a claim against them for an accident that did not happen. Even if an accident did happen, somebody may lie about what happened to make a larger claim against your insurance.

How Can You Protect Yourself From Insurance Fraud?

If you think that somebody is trying to scam you, it’s important that you get in touch with insurance fraud investigators immediately so that they can resolve the issue and minimise any financial loss.

Being extra vigilant when taking out an insurance policy and being careful about your online activity can minimise the risk of insurance fraud. Below, we have listed some great ways to protect yourself from being a victim of an insurance scam.

• Never disclose your personal details to somebody you don’t know. Never give out your PIN number or national insurance number.
• Always confirm who you are speaking to when you get a phone call from the insurance company (or somebody claiming to be an individual from the insurance company).
• Keep all letters from your insurance company safe. Don’t throw them away in the rubbish bin if you want to get rid of them. Instead, shred them.
• Never click on links from random email addresses. Instead, open up an internet browser separately and log into your insurance account this way.
• Make sure your passwords are not easy to guess and change them on a regular basis.
• Download anti-virus software onto your computer.
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks. If you want to use Wi-Fi when you’re out and about, make sure you use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).