Laptop insurance claim advice

TSx

hugoshavez wrote: »

If there's a valid claim to begin with (and the OP says there is) and he's thinking of misrepresenting the details because he thinks that way the claim will likely be more straightforward, then that's not fraud, no.

It's not right, and could lead to the claim being declined, but it's not fraud.

It may not meet the legal definition of fraud (I don't know) but it certainly could lead to you being registered with the insurance fraud bureau and the policy cancelled if it can be proven. Particularly given the laptop is likely to be repairable so they are attempting to gain more than indemnity.

OP, I would take the laptop to an Apple store first - compared to most PC manufacturers, they're brilliant at assessing damaged items, and in the majority of cases they can repair for less than the cost of a new item. If you have the repair estimate there, helpucover may not even need to see the laptop.

forgotmyname

You phone them, Say it was lost or stolen... Was it lost or stolen??

Then you tell them how and where... Left on the table at the cafe and went to the loo came back it was gone? Left unattended not covered.

Stolen from where? Did someone rob you, Snatch your bag?

What is your crime reference number?

May as well go and buy a new one because if you tell lies your going to have to be good at telling lies.
Going to make a false police statement?

Oli.s

So you have a laptop, which is insured for water damage, you have spilt on it, which you say is covered, but you think that lying about the cirumstances to the insurance company will be more straight forward?????

I strongly suspect that the most straight forward conversation would be......

Hi, my laptop is insured with you for water damage, I have spilt liquid on it and damaged it, and wish to claim becuase this is covered by my policy.

How can tryng to lie be simpler, and the insurance co are likley to want a police report reference number if you say its lost, so your also going to have to lie to the police. They will definatley want one if you say its stolen.

Bizarre is not the word!

hugoshavez

TSx wrote: »

but it certainly could lead to you being registered with the insurance fraud bureau

It could?

How does this work, in your experience?

TSx wrote: »

it certainly could leadto ... the policy cancelled if it can be proven.

You did get that right.

TSx wrote: »

OP, I would take the laptop to an Apple store first - compared to most PC manufacturers, they're brilliant at assessing damaged items, and in the majority of cases they can repair for less than the cost of a new item.

Good advice too.

TSx

hugoshavez wrote: »

It could?

How does this work, in your experience?



You did get that right.



Good advice too.

I saw an internal press release from our investigations team a few months ago about someone getting caught out because they were talking to their partner about extra items they still had which they could claim for during a burglary (very intelligently, they had this discussion whilst on hold, not realizing the line is still recorded).

The burglary itself was real, the additional items weren't. As they were intending to obtain additional financial benefit beyond indemnity, it was considered fraud (they were also cautioned by the police and the whole claim was thrown out). Whilst it's not exactly the same as this situation, it does parallel it. Unfortunately, the value of laptop claims makes them very uneconomical to investigate beyond (occasionally) a simple cognitive interview.

I did make a mistake though, for which I apologise - the insurance fraud register (there is no insurance fraud bureau database - although they do administer the IFR) hasn't formally launched yet, however my understanding is that participating insurers can still upload data. I stand to be corrected though.

Dangermac

hugoshavez wrote: »

If there's a valid claim to begin with (and the OP says there is) and he's thinking of misrepresenting the details because he thinks that way the claim will likely be more straightforward, then that's not fraud, no.

It's not right, and could lead to the claim being declined, but it's not fraud.

OP is thinking of falsifying information in order to seek an advantage (on the basis that he is worried that the policy may not provide the cover that he hoped for).

With that infomation, he will look to make a claim, and seek an indemnity under the policy.

Unless I'm missing something, I cant see how that wouldnt be classed as a fraudulent claim.

In any event, I think that the genuine set of circumstances probably will attract less suspicion that the fabricated ones.

Tread carefully here OP. If you are found out, the consequences are prettty dire, with regards to your future ability to get any kind of insurance.

Hugo - what the OP is suggesting is almost certainly a fraudulent claim, albeit from a genuine root cause (which may/may not be insured). I really cant follow your thought pattern here.

DM

martinsurrey

hugoshavez wrote: »

Mmmm, probably not actually.

from the Fraud Act 2006

Fraud by false representation (E+W+N.I.)

section 2

(1)A person is in breach of this section if he—
(a)dishonestly makes a false representation, and
(b)intends, by making the representation—
(i)to make a gain for himself or another, or
(ii)to cause loss to another or to expose another to a risk of loss.

(2)A representation is false if—
(a)it is untrue or misleading, and
(b)the person making it knows that it is, or might be, untrue or misleading.

(3)“Representation” means any representation as to fact or law, including a representation as to the state of mind of—
(a)the person making the representation, or
(b)any other person.

(4)A representation may be express or implied.

(5)For the purposes of this section a representation may be regarded as made if it (or anything implying it) is submitted in any form to any system or device designed to receive, convey or respond to communications (with or without human intervention).


so it is definitely legally fraud.

he meets 1(a) as it wasn’t stolen 1(b) as he means to get an insurance payout (and the only reason to lie is in case the actual damage isn't covered) so he gains an increased probability of a payout.

2,3,4 and 5 are easy enough follow.