Public Warned: Holiday Doctors Encouraging Insurance Fraud Abroad
With Brits looking ahead to their long-awaited summer holiday, the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) is urging health tourists to be on the lookout for doctors offering to lie on their behalf to allow them to claim on their travel insurance.
By committing insurance fraud, travellers risk being convicted of a criminal offence and ending up on the Insurance Fraud Register, making it problematic getting insurance in the future. The IFB is urging the public to report to their confidential CheatLine if they come across this type of suspicious offer.
How does this work?
One report suggests that doctors based in holiday resorts may be tempting individuals with leaflets and posters offering cosmetic procedures or surgery. The doctor then advises that the cost of the procedure is ultimately free as they will provide fake evidence to allow for this to be claimed on their travel insurance.
The IFB received a report of this taking place in Turkey, a popular destination in medical tourism, but this could happen elsewhere, so are encouraging people to be vigilant.
What are the consequences?
As the person having the procedure is the one making the fraudulent claim, not only do they risk the claim being denied, they will also potentially face being convicted of a criminal offence. Committing insurance fraud is a serious criminal offence and even if they avoid prosecution, they are likely to be added to the Insurance Fraud Register (IFR) for five years. The IFR is a database of known insurance fraudsters accessed by most insurers. Being on it can make it difficult getting other insurance products in the future or face vastly increased premiums. This includes car insurance which may then impact their employment if they are unable to get to and from work.
What to do if you are approached by a crooked holiday doctor?
Many people choose to have elective procedures abroad, and whilst most of these are legitimate, some offer a deal that is too good to be true. If someone offers to produce false documentation to support an insurance claim, the IFB’s recommendation is to step away and, when possible, report to its confidential CheatLine service. There are many red flags that a medical professional can show and willing to lie for you from the offset should be one of them.
Nicola Smith, Intelligence & Investigations Manager, IFB added: “It can be tempting to lie to your insurer, especially if you think a professional is helping you get away with it. But insurance fraud is serious, and being convicted can have life changing consequences.
If someone offers to lie on your behalf, we recommend declining and potentially looking into other medical providers. You can report anyone that is an accomplice to insurance fraud or has tried to persuade you to commit insurance fraud to our anonymous CheatLine.”
