(Photo credit: Alan Cleaver/Flickr)
If you purchased insurance at a rate that you thought was dirt cheap, unfortunately there’s a chance that you might not be legitimately covered.
Recently, police arrested a 73-year-old who was charged with fraud over $5,000, uttering a forged document and defrauding the public over $5,000.
Alexandr Chertin is alleged to have sold drivers counterfeit insurance cards, otherwise known as “pink slips” which are proof of your vehicle’s insurance. It’s alleged he collected monthly payments from victims and police announced at a press conference that it’s estimated that there could be more than 100 victims.
Police believe there are many more victims who continue to drive their vehicle under the belief they are insured, when this isn’t the case.
There have been accident claims filed by victims who believed they were insured and numerous insurance companies have paid out more than $1 million to cover their claims.
Chertin is scheduled to appear in court on November 25.
One way to verify your insurance’s legitimacy is through the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) website. Anyone who suspects they may have been scammed should call the IBC tip line at 1-877-422-8477.
Also, if someone offers to sell you insurance from a location other than their office at a cheaper cash rate, you should be suspicious of their product, police told CBC News.
If you’ve encountered an insurance company that includes pre-collision damage on a claim, exaggerates injuries from an accident to collect benefits or offers free treatment for an injury not related to the accident, then you may have spotted a case of insurance fraud. If this is the case, report it to the IBC.
It’s difficult to determine the full effect of auto insurance fraud on the industry, but it’s estimated that it costs about $769 million to $1.56 billion. Drivers are always looking for ways to lower their insurance costs and one legitimate alternative is through usage-based insurance, which has been introduced in Ontario.
The personal injury and accident lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers will ensure that the accident benefits you claim are legitimate. We have been dealing with all accident related issues throughout Ontario for over 45 years. We know how to get you the compensation that you deserve and get your life back in order after being in a car accident. Call us at 416-920-4242, set up a free consultation, and come speak with us.
Greg Neinstein
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