At AXA Ireland, we protect you and your loved ones. Part of that protection is making sure you have the right information to help identify fraud and to prevent you from falling victim to it.
Insurance gives you peace of mind by protecting you from financial setbacks. Unfortunately, a small minority exploit the system by selling false insurance policies or making false or exaggerated insurance claims.
This is known as Insurance Fraud, and it’s a growing problem in Ireland that is estimated to cost over €200 million annually. The more you know, the better you can protect yourself.
When you buy an insurance policy you want to know that you are protected in the event of a claim. That’s why its important to be vigilant of a fraudulent practice known as Ghost Broking.
Professional fraudsters known as ghost brokers make a living from selling false insurance policies, often at a lower premium than what you usually pay for your car insurance, home insurance or other policies. They trick unsuspecting customers into believing they are buying a valid insurance policy when in fact this is not the case. Ghost brokers will either forge policy documents leaving a customer completely uninsured, or they submit false details to a legitimate insurer to lower the cost of a policy and leave the customer without a valid policy.
Ultimately, this means that even though you may receive your insurance documents, the reality is that you are most likely not insured and will be liable to pay for any damage caused or offences committed while driving.
Read our article to learn more about ghost brokers and how to avoid them.
Accidents happen and we’re here to help. We want to protect you from false or exaggerated third party claims against your policy as much as possible. This type of insurance fraud is driving up the cost of car insurance for everyone and together we can identify and stop fraudsters.
If you’ve been involved in a traffic collision and need to claim compensation, it’s crucial to get the details correct so that all parties get looked after fairly. Following these simple steps can help your insurer to process your claim:
Keeping your accounts and finances safe and secure is as important to us as it is to you. Online scams are ever evolving, and new technologies are making it easier for fraudsters to trick us into revealing our personal information. We want to help you avoid falling victim to fraud by recognising some common types of scams:
Fraudsters have been known to trick customers into giving away their personal information by calling and pretending to be from their bank or insurer. The call will often appear to be from a legitimate number, though this is not the case. If you receive a call and you’re unsure if it is legitimate, simply hang up and call back on an alternative number listed on the company website.
Fraudulent text messages are becoming increasingly common. The messages often create a sense of urgency to manipulate emotions and typically contain links. Before clicking a link, remember to ask yourself: Can you identify the sender? Are you expecting the message? Does it seem genuine?
Scammers can easily create emails using real images and branded templates to make them look genuine. You should always apply caution to any unexpected emails and don’t click on any links if you suspect the email is not legitimate.
At AXA, we often contact our customers by phone, text message and email. If in doubt, always verify the legitimacy of the communication by contacting us directly. Always trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem quite right, it probably isn’t.
For more advice on staying safe from financial scammers, read the information provided by the Central Bank of Ireland. You can find their guidance within their Consumer Hub.
