The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports an overall increase of 21% in “suspicious” insurance claims in the first half of 2009 compared to the first half of 2008. Perhaps an indicator of the increase of desparate acts committed due to increased economic pressures.
Most reported incidents are up for 2009, with the largest increase in glass replacement fraud, up 76% from last year. Suspect Rental Bills and VIN/HIN/PIN Manipulation were the only incidents that decreased for 2009. The next larget increase was in Paper Accidents/Phantom Accidents and suspicious hit while parked incidents, both up 46%. Incidences of Inflated Repairs wee up an estimated 40%.
One possible non auto insurance indicator of economic hard times was the number of slip-and-fall accidents up 47% to 760 in the first half of this year from 516 during the same time last year.