FAQs
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The IFB is a not for profit organisation funded by the insurance industry, specifically focussed on detecting and preventing organised and cross industry insurance fraud.
Organised fraudsters increasingly use insurance as a way of making money, and the industry has agreed that the best way of dealing with the problem is for all insurance companies to work together.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) estimate that around £1.6bn of fraudulent insurance claims are made each year. Of this figure, up to £200m is lost to organised insurance crime, costing honest customer over £4 million every week. This adds up to £40 onto the cost of each policy purchased by policyholders.
Insurance fraud is becoming increasingly complex. Induced motor accidents are an example of organised fraud, which is where an innocent motorist is forced to crash into the back of the fraudster’s vehicle. Claims are then made against the innocent motorist, and these often including accounts of fictitious injuries from gang members, some of whom may not even have been involved in the accident. In many cases these criminal gangs have bogus claims running with numerous insurers at the same time. Other examples of organised insurance crime include fraudulent arson or disability claims and supplier fraud, where insurers receive bills for work that has not been done. More background information on the IFB can be found here.
The insurer members of the IFB manage in excess of 95% of UK personal lines claims. All IFB members also share their claims data via the Claims and Underwriting Exchange, known as CUE.
The IFB membership is constantly growing, with self insured companies, compensators and local authorities joining every day. Please click here to see a list of current IFB members.
If you are an authorised insurer, self insured, compensator or third party administrator and interested in participating in IFB services, then please contact us here.
The IFB currently focuses on personal lines: motor, home, personal injury claims. Insurers are investigating the feasibility of extending this scope into other organised crime risks.
The IFB is aligned with Government objectives to protect all individuals and businesses from the effects of organised crime. The IFB is currently working in conjunction with UK police forces and other investigating agencies, as well as some of their international counterparts.
The ABI works with the IFB to raise public awareness of fraud, citing IFB successes and promoting a free and confidential 'Cheatline' service.
If you suspect that you have been involved in an induced or staged accident, then please contact your insurer in the first instance. Please also click here to see our advice for drivers, which gives indicators as to whether or not fraud may have taken place.
The IFB runs a free and confidential Cheatline for anyone who has information on insurance fraud. This information can be passed to us through our Online Cheatline or by calling 0800 328 2550.
All information provided by the public is treated in strictest confidence by the IFB. Our staff who will identify the affected insurer and work with them to ensure that your report is properly investigated.
The impact of the IFB since its launch in July 2006 has been hugely positive, with many hundreds of arrests, and real financial benefits for our members and their customers. Please click here to see how calls to IFB Cheatline have made a real difference.