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Guest Post

Five Insurance Fraud Trends and how to prevent or detect them

Updated: Sep 19, 2022

Everybody can be a suspect when it comes to Insurance fraud. Criminals don't just make false representations; regular individuals do it too. When they have a valid claim, many people seize the chance to assert more.

Insurance Fraud Trends


For instance, they would mention an earlier scrape when they were involved in an automobile accident. However, fraud is a delicate subject. Being accused of making a false claim offends most people.





For instance, they would mention an earlier scrape when they were involved in an automobile accident. However, fraud is a delicate subject. Being accused of making a false claim offends most people.


1. Identity fraud

Identity fraud is often the start of a scam when it comes to fraud performed by criminals. Because of online onboarding, criminals are now considerably more likely to obtain insurance using a false identity.


The KYC process must be precise to stop criminals from obtaining insurance under fraudulent names. However, before onboarding, one must thoroughly investigate prospective clients. The periodic account review lets insurers confirm that client data is accurate and current. A client's risk rating is updated concurrently, which is crucial in identifying identity fraud.


2. Ghost-broking

The internet's anonymity makes it simpler for brokers to sell bogus insurances. But everyone should exercise caution, not just clients. One technique used by ghost brokers is to purchase an actual policy from an insurance provider and then sell it to an existing client. Then, however, they alter that client's personal information to secure a better offer, frequently without their knowledge.


KYC is crucial to stop ghost-broking. Both the customer and the intermediary should be thoroughly vetted. Periodic assessments of intermediaries ensure they do not suddenly appear on lists like the PEP or Adverse Media.


3. Cash crashes

Every day, there are car accidents, but staged accidents are also on the rise. These are widespread conspiracies in organized crime. The obvious claims in such a scheme are bodily harm and vehicle damage, but thieves go further.


At a participating medical facility, the actors receive "treatment," after which fictitious medical bills with fictitious names are submitted as insurance claims.


For example, a complex vehicle body company will simultaneously fake property damage claims. As a result, the insurance company pays out false claims for the car's property damage and high medical costs due to this bogus collision.


Given that a different business line reviews each claim, the perpetrators may even pretend to have the same injuries to submit a workers' compensation claim with the same insurance company.


The correct software can quickly detect this hoax; therefore, pay attention to the last sentence. In addition, data-driven investigations reveal connections between alerts and instances. Consequently, it will be difficult for thieves to take advantage of the gap between departments.


4. Climate Change

As the environment changes, an increase in property claims is unavoidable. Additionally, it means that more opportunists will exaggerate the harm done to their properties or, even worse, make fraudulent claims about their involvement in tragic events. Federal prosecutors in the United States have incurred charges in 1300 incidents of catastrophe fraud after Hurricane Katrina, for instance.


Increased claims may result from more frequent European wildfires, floods, and storms. For instance, more incredible showers bring more chances to file insurance claims for roof damage. As a result, every claim for damages offers room for exaggeration.


Insurance companies now have more data thanks to digitization. This data can be used to identify atypical claim behavior that can indicate fraud and to build behavioral profiles and peer group analyses. Utilizing the available information will help you spot fraud earlier.


5. Social media proof

Motor vehicle claim fraud is still prevalent. Body damage is a factor in about 80% of auto insurance fraud. Physical injuries that have been exaggerated are challenging to find. Because of this, the UK passed laws in 2018 to address whiplash claims, significantly reducing bogus claims.


How to prevent or detect insurance fraud

In this series on preventing insurance fraud, we've discussed what fraud is and how technology may help. The last entry is this one. It is now necessary to take measures to stop insurance fraud.


1. Automate

Workflows that automatically verify the information about the parties involved can be created using machine learning.


2. Make use of data to spot fraud.

Fraud detection relies on data analytics. In essence, claims are automatically assigned a Suspicion Score based on the adjusters' data, indicating the chance that fraud has occurred. It uses data mining software and quantitative analysis as its technology.


3. Review and rescore claims regularly.

Monitoring Suspicion Scores has proven to be more precise and efficient than conventional fraud-detection techniques in the past. Again, it is because preventing insurance fraud requires tenacity and timing.


4. Adopt a layered approach

Utilizing a range of tools and technologies to solve a problem is known as a layered approach. This is the industry's planned method of depleting all available resources.


5. Stay on top of new fraud practices

In order to keep on top of fraud, insurers must recognise emerging trends. Think about all that the year 2020 has taught us to stay on top of the latest trends.



Conclusion:

The intentional misuse of insurance coverage for financial benefit is known as insurance fraud. Fraud is a purposeful action that is forbidden. Included above are deliberate lies sold to insurance companies and intentional lies narrated by insurance companies or their agents.


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