Car Insurance

Tampa Now 2nd Highest in Auto Insurance Fraud

(CHEAPER CAR INSURANCE) - Cases of auto insurance fraud are currently sweeping through Tampa, Florida. The money these fraudulent cases are costing is having an impact on low auto insurance rates for drivers throughout the state. Innocent drivers are paying the price for these scammers on their insurance policy.

The Tampa Police Department has recently made 240 arrests for insurance fraud, leading to 156 convictions. This is good news as more of these scammers are getting put away and punished for their misdeeds. Unfortunately it has caused low auto insurance premiums to soar.

How Are Scammers Conning Insurance Companies?

So how are these fraudsters pulling off scams to rip off the auto insurance companies? Their staged auto accidents are in fact, not accidents at all. They are a means for collecting money through the insurance company for claims. This appears to be their method:

• They stage a collision, usually at an intersection
• File a false claim to the insurance company
• Pocket the money for personal injury and damages

There have been reported cases that some pay people to cause collisions then refer them to a particular health clinic. It is believed that the clinic was in on the scam as well, billing so-called patients who had no actual injuries. A recent police report suggests that the ‘patient’ walks into the clinic and signs a paper from the clinic’s owner. This makes it appear as though they have received treatment when they really haven’t.

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