Risk Management

Dogonnit: Canadian insurer reveals top fraudulent claims for 2018

March 08, 2019 Reprints

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An “accidental” fire, a “stolen” crashed car and an alleged swerve to avoid a dog were among the top fraudulent claims submitted to SGI Canada Insurance Services Ltd., in 2018.

The insurer, based in Regina, Saskatchewan, highlighted its five fraudulent claims uncovered by its special investigation unit, saving SGI about $5.6 million, the company said in a news release Wednesday.

Claim No. 1: DNA on an airbag outed the fraudster who reported his car stolen after it was found just blocks from his home among other severely damaged parked vehicles. The intrepid investigator pulled a DNA sample off the vehicle’s deployed air bag and, surprise, it was a perfect match to the owner, who was ordered to pay back the $15,000 in damages SGI initially paid out to cover the damage to his vehicle and the parked cars nearby.

Claim No. 2: A claimant alleged that she started her car to warm it up and returned to find it on fire, but investigators found that this claimant was something of a firestarter — and had purposely lit multiple blazes in the truck with gas-soaked rags. The insurer denied the $28,000 replacement cost of the truck and the fraudster was charged with arson.

Claim No. 3: A woman told SGI that she was out of town when her vehicle was identified in a hit and run. However, eyewitnesses and surveillance video placed her in the passenger seat — with her unlicensed friend behind the wheel.

Claim No. 4: Another claimant alleged that his car had been stolen and then set on fire, but video evidence revealed that the fraudster set fire to his own car. He was charged with mischief by arson and SGI denied his $4,400 claim.

Claim No. 5: An insured said he swerved to avoid hitting a dog, but video showed he purposely plowed his car into a pond. He now has to pay back $2,000 for the fraudulent claim.