What Every Driver Needs to Know to Bring Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Fraud to a Screeching Halt

What Every Driver Needs to Know to Bring Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Fraud to a Screeching Halt

They're everywhere. They're hiding in dark corners, near dank, deserted alleys and in the middle of abandoned highways. No, we're not talking about cockroaches. We're talking about men and women out looking for a chance to thumb their nose at the Pennsylvania auto insurance system by committing insurance fraud right in front of your eyes. (Actually, there's a pretty good chance they're related to cockroaches, although it's never been proven.)

You may have heard of some of the more famous cases of auto insurance fraud over the years. The Yucaipa man that was convicted of lying about his motorcycle being stolen in September of '08, for example. These are the frauds who make the headlines.

News Flash: Don't lie to your insurance company. It never ends well.

Unless you're looking for a way to commit insurance fraud, this isn't something you have to worry about. What you really need to worry about are the other drivers out there that are looking for a way to set you up, scam you, bamboozle you. Trick you into being responsible for an accident that's going to send your Pennsylvania auto insurance rates soaring while your insurance company is sending them a nice fat check for damages they were responsible for in the first place.

Wouldn't you like the next accident you get blamed for to actually be your fault?

Picture this. A man backs into a tree and damages his rear headlight and the wheel well. He needs to pay to get it fixed, but it's too expensive. Instead, he drives along the I-99 corridor looking for the perfect victim. At the last possible second he swings over into their lane, cutting them off, then slams on his brakes, forcing them to rear end him because they can't possibly stop fast enough. The man responsible for the accident receives a hefty check from the other driver's insurance company paying for the damages, including-you guessed it-his rear headlight and wheel well.

And this is a best case scenario. Most cases of auto insurance fraud don't have such good intentions.

Common Auto Insurance Scams:

1) Staged rear-end car accidents: This is a case like the one you just read about, where one driver will cut another off and then hit their brakes. The innocent driver rear ends them, the fraud gets to collect damages not only for the damage to his car but also for any injuries he happens to dream up.

2) Fake helpers: Have you ever had a driver give you the go-ahead to pull in front of them? Of course you have. We all have. How else would you ever get through Philly? A scammer, however, will wave to you then go ahead and pull forward, crashing into you. In front of a judge they'll gladly swear on the Bible they never waved to anybody. When it's your word against his, who do you think the judge is going to go with?

3) Adding damages: This is surprisingly more common than you might think. One driver does major damage to their vehicle after an accident, then tells whichever Pennsylvania auto insurance company you happen to be working with that it happened at the scene of the crime. If you can't prove otherwise your insurance company is going to be cutting them a huge check.

What You Can Do About It

First and foremost, the best offense is a good defense. Make sure you know what kind of scams are going on, especially in your particular county. Most frauds don't usually stop at one victim, and you don't want to make yourself a statistic. Leave plenty of following room when you're out on the highways, and don't listen to the car with the friendly wave. Use your own judgment.

There isn't a person alive who has ever regretted carrying around an inexpensive digital or disposable camera, and if you've been in an accident your Pennsylvania auto insurance company will thank you. Take plenty of pictures of the scene of the crime after you've been in an accident so your insurer knows exactly what happened and can easily identify damages that were caused after the fact.

Don't hesitate to let your insurance company know if something smells fishy. Being able to identify a case of auto insurance fraud could save you hundreds of dollars in insurance premiums, and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you've saved another driver from being victimized just the way you were.

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• What Every Driver Needs to Know to Bring Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Fraud to a Screeching Halt - Jun 25, 2009 - 8:07:39 PM