Protect Yourself From Car Insurance Fraud

By Author: Andries Malan
Total Articles: 15
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Ever since the progression of auto insurance, there have been organized crime syndicates that commit insurance fraud. In this article we will outline some very important things to keep in mind to protect yourself from being a victim of these scammers. There are many different instances of car insurance fraud.

The cases that will not affect you are the organized theft syndicates. This is when people arrange the theft of their own motor vehicle in order to receive money from the claim. They could need the money for financial reasons, or to purchase a new car.

There are some instances where fraudsters will arrange a car accident so that they can make money off the claim. These drivers could deliberately stop in front of your vehicle, making you hit them. Some of these scammers could even be very friendly, and would act apologetic for the accident. They may even pretend that they saved your life and prevented a larger accident from occurring. These scammers could even be making money of falsified medical injuries. They may have doctors who are involved in the scheme and will also be making a cut of the profit off ...
... the claim. A doctor and auto repair shop could also be involved. The auto repair shop will charge higher repair costs for more money to be made.

Some of these scammers will even inflict more damages to their vehicle after the accident has occurred, in order to receive more money.

It has become very important to protect yourself from scammers of this sort. Every time that you are driving on the road, you need to ensure that no one is following you. Always maintain a safe following distance behind other cars, so that if you need to make an emergency stop you will be safe. Some of these scam artists will even follow you for a few days, to observe your driving patterns. This is for them to see where they can cause you to make a mistake. If you ever notice a vehicle has been following you for more than one day, you must be extra cautious about your driving, and perhaps contact the authorities.

If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, and suspect that there may be something suspicious about it, you must ensure that you follow all the correct procedures when the accident occurs. Take down all the names and contact details, as well as the drivers' license numbers of the people involved. It is a good idea to draw a picture of how the accident occurred, for the proceeding insurance investigation. If it is possible, carry a disposable camera in your vehicle. Take photos of the accident scene, and the people involved. Taking photos of the other car will assist you because the insurance investigators will be able to see whether the damages to the other vehicle were the same on the scene as they were upon repair.

It is very frightening that there are scam artists of this sort in the world. Hopefully you will never have to come into contact with one. The best thing to do to ensure your safety is follow the abovementioned precautionary procedures.
Andries Malan is the owner of http://www.quantisure.co.za, a website that offers comparitive quotes for the cost conscious car insurance quote shopper in South Africa.