Before you consider insurance fraud, consider the consequence

Fraud is a heavy word and, believe it when we say, it comes with a heavy sentence.

There’s a pun in there, and if you’re smart, you’ll know that it’s the striped jumpsuit and cuffs kind of sentence that the pun was played on. No matter the type of fraud committed, fraud is fraud. However, for some reason, individuals in South Africa are quite open about how they will defraud their insurance company of a few rands in the event that they need to put in a claim. That still forms part of the milder cases. In some cases, people are actually fabricating entire incidents that point toward a claim where no such incident even occurred.

Let it be known right here and right now, that committing insurance fraud is a serious offence and if you are considering it, it’s time to realign your thoughts and consider the damage and impact it will have on your life if you are caught committing this crime when you’re left with a criminal record neatly attached to a document with your mugshot. It’s not a great image. It’s so easy to just tell a little fib, which we are so willing to do until we are caught, and in every instance, it is never worth it.

Many of the individuals reading this might be under the false illusion that fraud is only prevalent among corrupt politicians, and to be fair, they certainly do steal the limelight. But let’s be honest, in an economy such as South Africa’s, where rands and cents are tough to come by, it’s a grudge premium to pay insurance over each and every month and receive absolutely nothing in return. So, what are we inclined to do when someone breaks into our house? We feel we need to get our money’s worth. What was just the PlayStation under the Smart TV that was clearly too large to walk away with, became the PlayStation, the camera, and the laptop. Why is this evil temptation so rife amongst individuals putting in a claim? It’s simple – there’s no proof otherwise. However, you could still get caught and that is the risk you take when lying and ultimately committing fraud.

There’s no winning when you’re fibbing

One of the necessary pieces of information that fraudsters fail to conceive is that the more you claim for, at times the higher the excess. This is when a percentage-based excess is in place in your policy. The other is that your insurance policy will be pushed up the more you claim from your insurer. When you consider those factors, it isn't then clear that there is no scenario where you are 100% rewarded for crooking the system or the law. There is always a penalty for a claim. Therefore, being honest leads to the only sensible outcome for both the insurer and the insured. To claim any more only hurts both parties anyway, so then why take the risk at all since this route could lead to a prison cell and a lot of undesired attention and shame?

The next time you have a claim to put in, consider the risks, consider the costs, consider your conscience, consider it all. Don’t mislead your insurance company with any untruths because the truth can and oftentimes will surface. It can also be said that if you are aware of anyone committing insurance fraud and you don’t report it to the authorities, then you are also at risk of being punished. Maybe this will enlighten you as to how the truth reveals itself. It’s often in the form of a righteous and law-abiding citizen that happens to be aware of your false claim.

Pause and reflect

Try to contribute to the betterment of this country and its economy and its well-being. When you read the news and curse out loud at the corrupt politicians and all that is wrong and criminal, reflect on yourself. Be a moral citizen and choose the right way to go about behaving in society. If not, be prepared to suffer the consequences.