You are wondering why you, as those getting coverage, should be reading about the insurance scams when mostly it is people like who commit these frauds?

Because the increasing number of auto insurance scams will reduce the legitimacy of the insurance claims made, it increases the premium rates. It might even put innocent victims in legal trouble. 

Also, some of the most common insurance scams happen in auto insurance because these are not generally not brought through the companies or the authorized insurance agents. This is why you need to be informed of these insurance scams. 

In your search for affordable auto insurance in Louisiana, you might come across many agencies and agents that will try to lure you into signing up for auto insurance packages that look too good to be true. But before you decide on signing those papers, it is essential to cross-verify that these are not scams.

But how do you do that?

Counterfeiters have become increasingly smart at creating charades that can easily fool naive people. It becomes your responsibility to check whether or not the company offering auto insurance is legit or not. 

To help you out, we have compiled a list of some of the common insurance scams that you need to watch out for, so that you are guaranteed protection, security and safety as and when required:

• STEALING THE PREMIUMS:

There is a reason why you should always purchase the auto insurance or any policy for that matter from a credible company so that you do not regret it later. Agents with unethical practices will go to lengths to explain how the policy will benefit you in adverse situations but will not put it in documents. Fraudsters will steal your payment, and when the unfortunate actually happens, you will realize that you do not have any insurance policy to rely on. You will be left paying those hefty medical bills yourself. Investigate your agents or the insurance company properly by checking out their credentials, looking for their reviews, talking to their customers, etc. 

• KNOCK OFF AIRBAGS:

If you have been in an accident and have recently replaced the air blags, make sure that they are done by companies that are recommended by insurance companies; otherwise, you might end up with counterfeiters airbags. Considering the increasing number of car crashes due to airbags delayed deployment, there is no doubt that a small percentage of manufacturers fill the space with junk. It is your responsibility to make sure that the airbags you buy are recommended so that you don’t become a victim of a case where the judgment is against you, and you are deprived of insurance money. 

• BANDIT TOW TRUCK SCAM:

Unless you have called a tow truck after an accident, there is a powerful possibility that it is a bandit tow truck that comes with a significant towing bill. To protect yourself from such frauds, make sure that your auto insurance company offers roadside assistance. If it doesn’t, and you have to use an independent tow truck, all the invoices and fees must be clearly mentioned, and there are no hidden charges. 

• FAKE ACCIDENT:

Not all policyholders are as innocent as you are. Some might stage an accident or purposely ignite one. Take, for instance, one might tailgate so that an accident eventually happens, and they can get money from your insurance company. Some might even go as far as claiming an internal injury or phantom pain, something that requires them to undergo medical tests or get hospitalized. This will lead to your insurance company paying their medical bills. 

Protect yourself from such fraudsters by avoiding tailgating, have a reliable company as your auto insurance company partner, and make sure that every accident is reported to the police and your insurance company, no matter how insignificant.

Paul Petersen