The City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) is urging the public to know the risks associated with committing insurance fraud.
Reported cases of opportunistic fraud from March 2022 to April 2023 rose by 61% from the previous period.
IFED defines opportunistic insurance fraud as a person spotting a chance in their everyday life to exaggerate a claim for financial gain or provide false information when applying for insurance.
Examples include faking an injury following a genuine road traffic accident or claiming twice on insurance after losing an item of jewellery.
Motor insurance fraud was the most common type of opportunistic fraud referred to IFED from March 2022 to April 2023, accounting for 51% of the cases the unit received. Property insurance fraud was the second highest and made up 29%.
Because of the rising cost of living, IFED believes that increased numbers of otherwise law-abiding citizens are turning to insurance fraud to ease financial hardship.
In response, the unit has launched a national awareness campaign to highlight examples of opportunistic fraud and their potential devastating consequences.
Detective Chief Inspector Tom Hill, from IFED at the City of London Police, advised against committing insurance fraud in times of financial hardship.
He said: “We understand that the rising cost of living has presented challenges for many people across the country—but turning to crime to make some quick cash is never the answer.
“Committing insurance fraud can leave you with a criminal record and have long and serious consequences such as criminal prosecution and a prison sentence.
“At the very least, it can make it harder to get insurance in the future. Offenders can be placed on the Insurance Fraud Register, run by the Insurance Fraud Bureau, which can prevent them from accessing essential insura