car insurance fraud

Car insurance fraud affects all drivers because insurance companies determine rates, in part, based on losses. So the more losses (or claims filed) in a city or state, the higher premiums might be. And car insurance fraud costs drivers billions of dollars in any given year.

We'll fill you in on the basics of car insurance fraud, including the different types of fraud, and we'll explain how the Esurance Special Investigations Unit (SIU) gets to the bottom of questionable claims.

If you think you're the victim of car insurance fraud, email us at

what is car insurance fraud?

Car insurance fraud happens when someone deceives an auto insurance company for financial gain. This can include anything from staged pile-ups to relatively minor fibs about extra damage after an accident.

how is car insurance fraud committed?

Car insurance fraud can range from seemingly small omissions and exaggerations to obvious deceptions. Here are a handful of examples:

  • Providing incorrect info while getting a quote
  • Buying a policy after an incident has occurred
  • Filing more than one claim for a single injury
  • Filing a claim for injuries unrelated to the accident
  • Misreporting wages lost due to accident-related injuries
  • Reporting higher repair costs than those actually paid to the mechanic
  • Staging a car accident
  • Filing a claim for a car accident the person wasn't involved in
  • Submitting a claim for medical treatment that wasn't received
  • Falsely reporting a vehicle as stolen
  • Registering a car in a different state for cheaper rates

esurance’s special investigations unit

It probably goes without saying that we're committed to fighting car insurance fraud on behalf of our policyholders. That's why we have a department dedicated to keeping fraud at bay. Our Special Investigations Unit investigates and pursues eyebrow-raising activity and refers all suspicious cases of fraud to law enforcement agencies.

Detecting fraud and avoiding fraudulent payouts isn't just good for insurance companies. It's also good for you, the customer, because you won't have to help shoulder the burden of higher claims payouts.

how to report car insurance fraud

Now that you know what car insurance fraud is, consider yourself an honorary member of our SIU team. By reporting anything suspicious, you'll help keep premiums low for all drivers.

If you suspect someone has filed a fraudulent claim with Esurance, or that you've been victimized by fraud, email us at

Staged accidents and how to spot them
Peek into the fraudster's world with this look at commonly staged crashes.

The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
Find out about current trends in fraud and what's being done to stop them.

Get your free quote online

or call 1-800-378-7262