Defending suspected fraudulent claims... without alleging fraud

By Matthew Cordeux

FRAUDULENT claims dog the insurance market, particularly so in the personal lines field. The Association of British Insurers estimates around 10% of motor and 15% of household claims are fraudulent, costing the London market as a whole some £1bn per year. Fraud is a perennial problem. Any claimant, in any class of business, must prove his or her loss. "Proof" in this context means the claimant’s version of events is more likely to be true than not.