- The number of liability insurance frauds detected jumped by 75 percent to 19,800, with a value of £330 million, a 20 percent rise on 2013. This reflects insurers' greater focus on bogus liability claims, including “slip and trip” claims, and industrial deafness.

- The fall in the number of detected fraudulent property insurance claims (both domestic and commercial) reflects the strong deterrent message hitting home to potential cheats. In 2014 the number of detected property frauds at 24,533 was down 29 percent on 2013, with the detected value at £108 million down 21 percent.

James Dalton, ABI's director of general insurance policy, said, “Insurers are determined to do whatever it takes to identify and take tough action against fraudsters to protect their honest customers. The vast majority of customers are honest, and should not have to pay for the fraudulent minority. The insurance industry invests heavily in its counter fraud defenses, and the results are helping to keep motor and home insurance competitively priced.

“Insurance cheats are now more likely to get caught than ever before, whether they are making a dishonest claim or lying when applying for cover to get a cheaper premium, and face long-lasting and serious consequences. As well as the possibility of serving a custodial sentence, they will find it difficult to obtain vital financial services such as mortgages and loans, future job prospects are likely to be adversely impacted and family relationships suffer.

“Initiatives such as the Government's Insurance Fraud Task Force and the growth of the Insurance Fraud Register show that there will be no let-up in the battle against insurance fraud. Honest customers rightly expect nothing less.”

Learn more: https://www.abi.org.uk/.