Drivers would lie to guarantee insurance payout

Over a third of motorists will cheat their car insurer by making a fraudulent claim to ensure a successful car insurance payout, research from moneysupermarket.com can reveal.

moneysupermarket.com asked motorists whether they would tell the truth to their insurer if they hadn't locked their car properly and it was subsequently stolen. An honest quarter (23 per cent) said they would volunteer this information without being asked, but 11 million drivers (34 per cent) wouldn't tell the truth to their insurer. Of this dishonest group, nearly one in ten (eight per cent) said they would lie, and a further quarter (26 per cent) would only be upfront if they absolutely had to.

Steve Sweeney, hear of car insurance at moneysupermarket.com said: "It's shocking to see there are so many potential fraudsters behind the wheel who are willing to deceive their insurer to guarantee pay out on a claim. While I understand the current climate means finances are tight, lying to your insurer to make sure a claim goes through is not only illegal but it could leave you un-insurable in the future; I would advise any driver considering it to think twice."

The research reveals younger motorists are most likely to lie. One in seven (14 per cent) of 18 - 34 year olds are prepared to cover up their own carelessness to ensure a payout, compared to just three per cent of those over 55 who would be prepared to flout the law. Drivers living in the North West are the most dishonest of all the regions, with a tenth (11 per cent) admitting they would never tell their insurer the truth - compared with just five per cent of motorists in the South West. In addition, one in ten men claim they would never tell their insurer the truth, compared to just six per cent of women.

Steve Sweeney continued: "I can understand how frustrating a moment of carelessness can be for a motorist, but this is still no excuse to lie to your insurer. We are all experiencing an increase in the cost of car insurance premiums, and much of this is driven by the cost of fraud to insurers. Motorists should be completely honest on claims forms, and more importantly, by making sure you secure your vehicle properly, you are cutting your chances significantly of needing to make a claim."