When you have been involved in an accident, you may already feel that you are out of luck. It can be a very stressful situation to be in and it might also mean that you find it more difficult to make calm and well-thought-out decisions. The following are some examples of ways that innocent drivers can be scammed through their insurance, how to prevent becoming victim to this the of fraud and what to do if you have are an insurance fraud victim.
Being victim to hard car insurance scams
It might be shocking to learn, but there have been many cases of individuals or groups of individuals working together to intentionally cause an accident, so that they can benefit from insurance claims. This type of fraud is known as a hard car insurance scam, and it not only causes financial damage to the victim, but physical damage too.
Protection through prevention
The best way that you can protect yourself from this type of activity is by driving safely at all times. Fraudsters usually look out for opportunities to make it seem as though the innocent driver was to blame.
Taking action at the scene
Once you have been involved in an accident, it is important to take the necessary steps in order to protect yourself. You should take as many pictures of the damage as you can, and try and seek out any witnesses that were present.
If you were involved in a fraudulent accident that you believe was staged, it is important that you retain as much evidence as possible, and learn of your rights as a potential victim of fraud.
Source: DMV, “Protection Against Auto Insurance Fraud,” accessed Nov. 29, 2017
