OFF BEAT: Woman's alleged fraud attempts come unleashed

A woman in Northern Ireland who sought insurance payment for putting her pups up in a pooch hotel is accused of insurance fraud.

Susan McGrattan of Newtownards, Northern Ireland, was sentenced to 240 hours of community service for falsely filing insurance claims in the amount of £13,558.50 ($21,553.95) for kenneling her pets while her home underwent foundational remediation, according to news reports.

Ms. McGrattan reportedly insisted that her landlord did not allow her three dogs and three cats to be kept in the building while her rental house was being worked on.

Because her home insurance claim was valid, Ms. McGrattan’s insurer, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd., agreed to also pay for kenneling costs during the repairs.

But Zurich’s fraud investigation unit received information that Ms. McGrattan’s pets resided with her, in her home.

“Each month we would receive calls or email from Mrs. McGrattan complaining that she had not received payment from us for the kennels and that she was embarrassed to tell the people looking after her dogs and cats that she was unable to pay them,” Scott Clayton, claims fraud and investigations manager at Zurich, said in a report.

Zurich is prosecuting for remaining costs related to Ms. McGrattan’s home insurance claim, kenneling claims and legal costs in the amount of £140,896.48 ($223,983.13), according to reports.

That hearing is reportedly set to begin Nov. 29.

Filing a fraudulent insurance claim is somewhat like a dog chasing its tail: it gets you nowhere.