The survey results were based on two separate studies from last year: The first study, conducted last October, consisted of telephone interviews with 1,008 adult respondents in the United States. The second study, held in June 2002, consisted of in-person interviews with 1,995 respondents.

"I think there is still a perception out there that once you have a claim, people are going to take advantage of it," said Elizabeth Sprinkel, senior vice president at Malvern, Pa.-based Insurance Research Council.

"A lot of people still think a few dollars here and a few dollars there wouldn't be that big of a deal, but the problem is, that's where the money is. When lots of people pad their claims, all that adds up to big money," Ms. Sprinkel told National Underwriter.

Ms. Sprinkel also offered a reminder that, according to National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates, fraud against property-casualty insurers costs Americans $30 billion every year, which translates into an additional $200 to $300 per year per household for insurance premiums.

But on the positive side, she pointed out that the percentage of those who accept claims padding, while still high, has been steadily falling in the past few years. The 33 percent willing to pad claims to make up for deductibles represents a slight decrease from 2000, when the figure was 35 percent in a similar study.

The 22 percent figure for those willing to boost the claims amount to make up for premiums paid also represents a decline from 2000, when the number was 24 percent.

"Despite the fact that many Americans continue to tolerate opportunistic fraud such as claim padding, the survey results are encouraging," Ms. Sprinkel said. "They suggest that, compared to previous years, the public is becoming less tolerant of all forms of insurance fraud."