Fraud of the Week

June 27, 2016

False Claim Fraud—Washington

Amount: $8,900

A Washington man pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree attempted theft and was sentenced to twenty-four hours of community service, a $1,000 fine, and $800 in court costs. The man had an accident in March 2014 where he rear ended a vehicle. When he filed the claim with his carrier, he learned he had no physical damage coverage and the claim was denied. A few days later he purchased the physical damage coverage. In April he lowered the deductible to $100. A few days after that he claimed his vehicle was damaged by a hit-and-run driver while the vehicle was parked outside his home. The carrier contacted the other party in the first accident and reviewed pictures of the vehicle, which showed identical damage to what the insured was now claiming was due to the hit and run.