The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) has managed to save in excess of €14 million through our anti fraud activities over the last four years.
Since we first launched our Fighting Fraud strategy in 2017, we have also seen more than 350 claims discontinued, withdrawn or dismissed.
These are just two of the headline figures that illustrate how taking a strong, zero tolerance approach to fraud has been paying dividends for the MIBI.
Yet claims’ fraud continues to be a problem, one of which is impacting on every single motorist in this country.
That is why the MIBI is now doubling down on our activity in this space and reaffirming our anti fraud commitments. Specifically the MIBI is committed to pursuing the following steps in our efforts to clamp down on fraud and tackle suspicious claims.
Comprehensive evaluation
Every single claim we receive is comprehensively evaluated. Deficits in information, unsupported assertions or inconsistencies are immediately flagged.
Investigative resources
All flagged claims are then thoroughly investigated. This involves using the MIBI’s internal investigative resources and well as specialist investigators and scientific analysis. Since we published our original Fighting Fraud strategy, more than 10,000 hours have gone into investigating suspicious claims.
Defended in Court
Where the evidence does not support the claim being made, the MIBI is committed to legally testing these claims and subjecting them to the full rigours of the legal system where necessary. This has proven beneficial with many cases being withdrawn, discontinued or dismissed in the face of the MIBI’s legal defence of such claims.
We are also making use of the Criminal Justice (Perjury and Related Offences) Act 2021 as part of these efforts, helping to clamp down on any acts of perjury committed in court.
Working hand in hand with the Gardaí
The MIBI closely co-operates with the Gardaí to ensure all relevant information is utilised during our investigations of any suspicious claims. In fact, over the last four years we have assisted the Gardaí with 70 different investigations.
In circumstances where we believe a malicious claim has been made without merit, we are committed to contacting the Gardaí and asking them to investigate further. Where sufficient evidence exists the MIBI will also assist the Gardaí in pursuing criminal proceedings. Many of the 70 investigations we have assisted the Gardaí with over the last 4 years have already lead to prosecutions being taken and convictions handed down.
It is worth noting that providing false and misleading evidence relating to a claim carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and/ or a fine of up to €100,000.
Further details on these commitments and our broader fraud strategy can all be read in our newly revised Fighting Fraud strategy document, which is available to download here.
The MIBI solemnly believes that fighting fraud is in the public interest and we will do everything in our power to ensure that false claims are defeated and those who make them are subjected to the full rigours of the law.
Ultimately we hope such action will discourage such fraudulent activity, reducing insurance costs and making Irish roads safer.
