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Insurance Fraud Solicitors

SOLVING PERSONAL LEGAL MATTERS

If you are under investigation for or being charged with insurance fraud, it is important to seek legal representation as soon as possible. Forbes Solicitors has extensive experience in these cases and can provide expert advice and representation to help you understand the legal process. To speak to an insurance fraud lawyer, call 01772 220 022 or alternatively make an online enquiry here.

What is insurance fraud?

Insurance fraud may include submitting a claim for compensation for injuries supposedly sustained in an accident which never actually happened or claiming for the value of items not actually lost in a break-in or fire. Types of insurance frauds could include:

Deliberately causing a road traffic accident
Staging a break-in
Claiming for an accident that never took place
Claiming for a 'phantom' passenger
Providing inaccurate information on insurance documents or failing to report changes in circumstances
Exaggerating legitimate claims.

Insurance fraud is an extremely serious crime and is taken very seriously by the courts. The law regards any contract of insurance as one involving the "utmost good faith" on both sides. This means that each party to the contract has a duty to disclose to the other all relevant facts.

Insurance companies maintain sizeable departments dedicated to uncovering dishonest claims and such cases are likely to be referred to the police for investigation. During an investigation, the police will look for evidence such as photo or video evidence, audio recordings or transcripts. Anyone investigated in this way may find themselves prosecuted under the provisions of the Fraud Act 2006, which makes it an offence to make false or misleading statements or to fail to disclose facts, with the intention of benefitting yourself.

If you are somebody you know has been arrested or is being investigated or charged with insurance fraud, contact an expert fraud solicitor as soon as possible on 01772 220 022 or complete our online application form. It is crucial to have a solicitor present during any police interviews and meeting with the insurance company. During an investigation, the police can make a request for a search warrant in order to search your home, workplace or vehicle and any mobile devices for evidence to use against you such as phone records, text and email messages and social accounts. The police do not always disclose all the information they may have during a police interview. However, a dedicated insurance fraud lawyer will make sure any evidence is supplied to them in order to review and build a strong case for your defence. It is also commonplace for the defendant's assets to be frozen or seized during an investigation, by engaging with specialist insurance fraud solicitors early on, this could be avoided.

What is the sentence for insurance fraud?

If you are found guilty or plead guilty to insurance fraud you could be facing up to 10 years imprisonment and a substantial fine. Individuals may receive a more lenient sentence however organised crime gangs or individuals leading organised fraud crime gangs will receive much lengthier sentences.

When sentenced you may also receive an ancillary order, this could be in the form of a restraint order, reparation order, financial reporting order, confiscation order, disqualification from acting as a director in the future or you may be required to compensate for any financial losses.

When sentencing the judge will consider level of culpability as to whether the act was planned and the manner in which it was carried out. The judge will also consider level of remorse, any previous convictions, your character and personal circumstances, whether identity fraud was involved, and the amount of money involved. Disabilities and mental illnesses or disorders will also be considered when sentencing. If you cooperate with the police and regulatory bodies during an investigation this will work in your favour.

If you are guilty of insurance fraud and enter a guilty plea early in proceedings, you could reduce the sentence by up to one third. The later you leave it to enter a guilty plea, the less likely you will be to have your sentenced reduced.

If you are found guilty, this will go on your criminal record for a specific amount of time dependent on the seriousness of the matter and the length of the sentence which could have devastating effects for any future career prospects. This is why it's important to choose the best insurance fraud lawyers for your situation to aim for the best possible outcome from the case.

Why choose our insurance fraud solicitors?

Our criminal defence team provide expert legal fraud defence advice and representation throughout the country to those suspected of or charged with Insurance fraud. We have many years of experience in representing clients who have been the subject of such investigations.

Our insurance fraud solicitors are members of the Specialist Fraud Panel and Series Fraud Association and are able to conduct the provision of advice and representation in fraud defence, either on a private fee-paying basis or through public funding through Legal Aid.

We are a dedicated and expert firm of specialist fraud defence lawyers with an outstanding reputation for the tenacious defence of cases of serious fraud and serious crime. We are repeatedly asked to assist client who have already, at some time or during the course of an investigation or Court proceedings instructed solicitors. We are used to dealing with such enquiries and advising as to the transfer of a case from previous solicitors to Forbes Solicitors. To speak to a fraud solicitor, call 01772 220 022 or alternatively complete our online enquiry form.

How can our insurance fraud lawyers help?

Forbes Solicitors have an experienced team of fraud solicitors with a strong reputation of defending individuals facing prosecution for insurance fraud. It is important that you have confidence in the solicitors that you instruct to in order to get the best possible outcome. To speak to an insurance fraud solicitor, call 01772 220 022 or alternatively make an online enquiry here.