Media

Do you have any questions about insurance fraud or want to know more about the national Insurance Fraud Hotline? Are you interested in a media story?  We invite you to contact our media representative on +61 2 9477 3330 or by emailing to  media@insurancefraudhotline.com.au .

Requests for interviews with our staff should also be directed to the contact details above. 

Read about national Insurance Fraud Hotline founder, Anthony Callaghan.


Media Releases & Articles


21 January 2011: Media Release:
 Insurance Fraud Hotline Reveals QLD Flood Cheats

Read more


13 October 2010 Radio Interview:
Jason Morrison of 2GB talks to Anthony Callaghan about the Insurance Fraud Hotline and why it began 

Listen to the interview


8-10 October 2010: The North Shore Times / The Hornsby & Upper North Shore Advocate / Liverpool Leader / many regional newspapers

Read a sample story


Radio Mentions: 2SM News – 1269AM / 2WSFM: The Money Show – 101.7 / 2GB: Ross Greenwood’s show; Ian Dodd (drivetime) – 873AM / Caboolture Community FM Radio – 101.5FM

30 September 2010 : Powerful New 'Public Tip-Off' Reporting Tool to Combat Insurance Fraud (IFH Media Release)

Read more


28 September 2010: Hotline to Help Stem Insurance Fraud (www.riskinfo.com.au)

Read more


31 August 2010 : Insurance fraud hotline launched (Compliance Insider)
Please go to this link and create a login to read this article. - 

www.complianceinsider.com 


28 June 2010: Insurance Fraud Hotline nears launch date (Insurance News)

Read more

July 2009: Discover the Blindspot, Uncover the Truth - seminar presentation by Anthony Callaghan for NSW Australian Life Underwriters and Claims Association Inc (ALUCA)

Download pdf extract of the presentation


22 March 2009: How financial crisis makes us dishonest (The Sydney Morning Herald)

Read more


See our News section for other articles relevant to insurance fraud.

Tip Offs to the Insurance Fraud Hotline


Read about some de-identified tip offs that have been received by the Insurance Fraud Hotline.


Case Studies


One of the aims of the national Insurance Fraud Hotline is to provide information that educates and which may help deter people from committing insurance fraud crime in the first place. To read about cases of alleged frauds here in Australia and overseas, and what penalties were imposed on convicted fraudsters, see Case Studies .   

Insurance Fraud Hotline on Television


Anthony Callaghan, the founder of the national Insurance Fraud Hotline, has appeared on Channel 7's 'Today Tonight', speaking about the topic of insurance fraud. You can view these and other related audio visual clippings by searching for 'insurance fraud' on YouTube. You can also arrange an interview with Anthony Callaghan on the subject of insurance fraud by emailing to  media@insurancefraudhotline.com.au


Insurance Fraud Resources


We suggest visiting:

Insurance Council of Australia
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Brisbane Chapter Inc.
KPMG Fraud Barometer  - 6 monthly readings of fraud patterns in Australia and large fraud cases before criminal courts
Coalition Against Insurance Fraud  (US)
National Insurance Crime Bureau  (US)
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners  (US)
Insurance Fraud Bureau  (UK)

...and for something a little different

Life Insurance Fraud in the 1800s
Unusual Insurance Claims and Policies
Quirky Home Insurance Claims

Types of Fraud

Workers Comp

This can include employees falsely receiving benefits such as time off work, by faking injuries, exaggerating legitimate ones, claiming for pre-existing injuries or those sustained that have no relation to the workplace.

Motor Vehicle

This type of fraud takes many forms, including claiming theft in order to obtain money for an unsaleable car, or to cover up 'drink driving' accidents; staging car accidents; or vehicle arson.

Property

Goods that are unsaleable due to their poor condition, quality or lack of market demand, may also be fraudulently 'lost' or 'destroyed'. In the case of buildings and plant equipment, arson is often involved.

Arson

Insurance arson typically involves the intentional burning of insured property in order to destroy it and claim its insured value, especially when this is greater than the item's saleable value.

Life

A typical example of life insurance fraud might be a person claiming a monthly benefit - while working another job on the quiet. More extreme examples include elaborately faking deaths and disappearances for the fraudster and any accomplices to secure the payout.

Health

Fraudulent acts include healthcare or medical professionals billing for services not performed, claiming higher than actual costs, participating in the treatment of 'patients' brought in as a result of staged accidents, or carrying out unnecessary procedures.

Other

People might claim falsely for injuries relating to falls (called 'slip and fall' accidents) or other incidents where the consequences can be exaggerated.