Testing assumptions about naivety in insurance fraud

Author: Palasinski, Marek

Source: Psychology, Crime and Law, Volume 15, Number 6, July 2009 , pp. 547-553(7)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

Despite the recognition that traditional methods of fighting the rising and pressing crime of insurance fraud are ineffective, much attention in the process of its detection is still paid to the characteristics of false claims and of people submitting them. Although there is some research looking into the assumptions insurance companies hold about these characteristics, the question of the general public knowledge about them has been rather neglected. This appears unjustified in light of the fact that it is 'the average' opportunistic driver most likely to lie about their loss. The results of this project, employing the method of thematic analysis, whereby the narratives of 25 male drivers are examined, challenge the correctness of corporate assumptions about what the layman driver could know about insurance fraud.

Keywords: deception; fraud detection; thematic analysis

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10683160802392444

Affiliations: 1: Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK

Publication date: 2009-07-01