Auto insurance scams are an unfortunately fairly common thing nowadays. This isn’t referring to false car insurance companies, though those are in good supply themselves. Rather, this is in reference to drivers roping other drivers into their insurance schemes to get some extra cash. If you fear scams involving auto insurance in Illinois, here are the most common forms of auto insurance fraud, how to spot them, and how you can fight them.
#1. Fake rear ending
This is a pretty basic one to notice. This is done by a driver in front of you stopping just short enough to ensure that you bump into them. They will then accuse you of rear ending them, and call the police to get it “sorted out”. This is the most common because nearly every insurance provider in America considers on principle the rear driver to be the one at fault, so it’s very easy to shake some money out of the rear driver. A good way to spot this is to watch the driver in front of them, in case they’re a bit too eager to be close up to your car. Always maintain a safe distance between you and the drivers behind and in front of you.
#2. Fake third party
When an accident occurs, the scam artist will approach you while you wait on the side of the road. They will pose as a third party insurance official, and ask for your information so they can contact their mechanic, they may even have a tow truck to appear without prompt to add credibility. The solution to this is obvious: don’t conduct business with anyone other than your insurance provider.
#3. Fake injury
This is also a pretty easy one to pull off, which is what makes it so ubiquitous. When a genuine accident occurs, the other driver will act in pain, in order to get extra insurance money, at your expense of course. While some are more dedicated, most of these scam artists won’t go much further than just complaining about the pain with an occasional wince while otherwise seeming perfectly fine. Pay attention to the other driver’s behavior, and judge whether or not they’re actually in pain.
Auto insurance scams are incredibly commonplace, and have been since there were cars and companies to insure them. Thankfully, that means these sorts of tricks are incredibly easy to spot. Always be vigilant and observant when on the road. Contact Accurate Auto Insurance for more details.
