Have a question?
033 3772 0409

Crime Solicitors

Police detain travel insurance fraud suspects in dawn raids (19 June 2014)

Date: 19/06/2014
Duncan Lewis, Crime Solicitors, Police detain travel insurance fraud suspects in dawn raids

City of London police have arrested 11 people in dawn raids across London, in connection with fraudulent travel insurance claims.

It is reported that those arrested are suspected of having made fraudulent travel insurance claims relating to clothing and electrical goods allegedly lost in transit. The fraudulent claims are thought to range from £500 to as much as £14,000.

One suspect claimed to have lost £2,500-worth of clothing items while travelling to and from Venice.

Another suspicious claim involved clothing and mobile phones, which were allegedly left in the back of a taxi in Baghdad – the capital of Iraq.

Other cases of travel insurance fraud involved fraudulent claims for medical expenses the claimants say they incurred while on holiday or abroad.

Police say that one of the suspects – who was not at home when police officers arrived at his address on Wednesday (18/06/14) – makes a career out of submitting fake travel insurance claims. The 32-year-old from Islington in north London is under suspicion of providing fake travel tickets with claim documents, as well as forged medical certificates from doctors.

The head of City of London Police’s insurance fraud enforcement department, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Wood, said that the raids should act “as a warning” to others think of carrying out travel insurance fraud.

Travel insurance fraud is one of the areas of insurance fraud on the increase – insurance companies blame fraudulent claims for hikes in insurance premiums.

The UK’s Insurance Fraud Bureau estimates that incidences of undetected fraudulent general insurance claims amount to £2.1billion every year – and add an average of £50 annually to every policyholder’s insurance premium.

Other types of insurance fraud on the increase include “staged” road traffic accidents, involving motor insurance claims – motor insurance fraud is one of the largest and fastest growing areas of fraud.

However, in 2013, insurance companies detected a record £1.3 billion-worth of fraudulent claims across all sectors of the industry – an 18% increase on insurance fraud levels in 2012.

In 2013, there were also 118,559 “over-exaggerated” insurance claims, as a result of claimants trying to increase the value of their claims.

Figures show that the average level of fraud across all insurance sectors was £10,813 last year. However, since the Insurance Fraud Bureau was set up, there has been a steady increase in the number of people calling the bureau’s hotline to report insurance fraud.

In 2013, the number of calls reporting insurance fraud to the bureau rose by 32%, compared with the number of calls in 2012.

Aidan Kerr – assistant director of the Association of British Insurers – said:

“The message is clear – never has it been harder to get away with committing insurance fraud.

“Never have the penalties – ranging from a custodial sentence and a criminal record, to difficulties in obtaining financial products in the future – been so severe.”

Duncan Lewis Fraud Lawyers

Duncan Lewis Fraud Lawyers can advise at any stage of a charge for fraud, including (but not limited to) insurance fraud, benefit fraud, visa fraud, company fraud, financial fraud and mortgage fraud.

Duncan Lewis fraud lawyers are available 24/7, 365 days a year to advise on fraud charges – and our fraud legal team regularly visits police stations, courts and prisons.

For expert legal advice on all fraud charges, contact Duncan Lewis fraud lawyers on 020 7923 4020.

For out-of-hours legal advice on fraud charges and representation, contact the Duncan Lewis Crime Lawyers Out-of-Hours Hotline on 07920 077057.


For all Crime related matter contact us now.Contact Us

Call us now on 033 3772 0409 or click here to send online enquiry.
Duncan Lewis is the trading name of Duncan Lewis (Solicitors) Limited. Registered Office is 143-149 Fenchurch St, London, EC3M 6BL. Company Reg. No. 3718422. VAT Reg. No. 718729013. A list of the company's Directors is displayed at the registered offices address. Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority . Offices all across London and in major cities in the UK. ©Duncan Lewis >>Legal Disclaimer, Copyright & Privacy Policy. Duncan Lewis do not accept service by email.