SGI’s focus for March is on Fraud Prevention. 

The company’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU) found 263 cases of fraud in 2023 out of 481 investigated claims. 

Michaela Solomon, spokesperson for SGI, said that fraudulent insurance claims can lead to increased premiums for us all. “Insurance fraud impacts everyone, and we want to keep insurance costs low for our honest customers.” 

“Making a false or exaggerated claim can jeopardize your coverage in the future, and potentially lead to criminal charges or fines,” she added. 

They gave their top five list of 2023 fraudulent insurance claims in a press release: 

 

Decoy for a Vehicle Theft 

A woman withdrew a claim for $50,000 after it was determined she had made a false statement to SGI.  

She said initially that she thought she’d dropped her keys, and her car was subsequently stolen. 

Police had received a report that someone was potentially driving impaired, but the vehicle was found abandoned after hitting the parked vehicles, full of empty bottles and smelling of alcohol. 

Someone anonymously reported to SGI a few months later that they overheard the woman telling others that she’d hit three parked vehicles while driving impaired. Subsequent investigation led her to withdraw her claim, and as her insurance coverage was voided, she also had to pay for the damages to the three parked cars.  

What a Night for a Theft 

A woman made a claim for $90,000 of stolen jewelry, saying it was stolen from a locked vehicle while she was on vacation out of the country. 

SGI denied the claim as they determined the invoices for the replacement jewelry were fake, and SIU suspected that she had not purchased replacements or that any jewelry had been stolen. 

A Clue for SIU

Three individuals withdrew claims amounting to $13,000 after SIU determined that vehicles were intentionally damaged. 

A witness saw a man unload and vandalize a towed vehicle, before it was towed again the next day.  

SIU found three similar claims for three separate vehicles owners, who had the same address and phone number as the man the witness had seen, and they were also related to each other. Similarities for the vehicles in question were that they: 

  • Suffered extensive damage 

  • Were purchased for the same amount with a similar signature on the bill of sale 

  • Were listed as a rebuild 

Nowhere to Hide 

A man repaid $4,300 to SGI and was criminally charged with fraud and public mischief after reporting his car was stolen during a shopping trip. 

When the vehicle was located, it was determined that the man had left it there for months and had never come back to get it.  

Mind Your Own Break-In 

A woman retracted a home insurance claim for $85,000 after she was brought in for an interview with an investigator. 

She claimed items that did not make sense, including a discrepancy between the size of the deep freezer in photos and the quantities and types of foods listed. 

In addition, items were claimed to have been stolen from the garage, but there was no garage.  

She also claimed that receipts for the items she was claiming were stolen. Witnesses said they didn’t think there was actually a break-in, because she’d been listing household supplies and electronics for sale online.  

 

In total, the 263 fraudulent claims that were denied in 2023 were worth $5.9 million.  

If you believe that someone has made a fraudulent claim, you can call SGI’s SIU unit toll free at 1-800-667-8015 Ext 6687, or email them at siu@sgi.sk.ca. It’s also an option to remain anonymous by making a report to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.