Recent analysis from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reveals a 15-percent increase in bodily injury (BI) and personal injury protection (PIP) claims between 2009 and 2010, as well as a 17-percent increase in vehicle collision questionable claims (QCs) during the same period.

For every 100,000 BP/PIP claims in 2009, there were 309 vehicle collision QCs. In 2010, there were 314 per 100,000, or a 2-percent increase.

Though it is not conclusive evidence of fraud, a correlation is suggested in the data collected for these types of claims. Additionally, this correlation can also be compared to the increase in vehicle-related insurance fraud activity in "no-fault" insurance states such as New York and Florida.

The majority of the BI/PIP claims were bodily injury, both in 2009 (46 percent) and 2010 (55 percent). Auto-related bodily injury was the second most common type of claim, as 31 percent of claims had this designation in 2009, and 23 percent in 2010.

Vehicle collision QCs made up 13 percent of the 85,044 total QCs reported to the NICB in 2009 and 15 percent of QCs reported in 2010, when 91,645 QCs were reported. The most common reason for referral both years was "staged/caused accident," followed by "suspicious hit while parked," "paper/phantom accident," "jump-in," and "solicitation."

In 2010, the majority of these vehicle collision QCs came from Fla., Calif., N.Y., Md., and Texas. The cities from which most of these claims originated were New York City, Tampa, Orlando, Los Angeles, and Houston.

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