Fraud

Insight on fraud

Learn more about how to protect your customers from fraud. Our advice and insight covers key issues for brokers and their customers like how to spot cash for crash, cybersecurity fraud, ransomware, phishing, ghostbroking, misrepresentation and staff impersonation.

We understand the importance of protecting our brokers and their customers against financial crime.

Discover our articles and resources which contain advice on the different types of fraud, and how to spot and prevent scams. Read them to help you and your customers stay safe.

Insight

Truth matters: How to spot and stop motor fraud

Learn how to spot and stop motor fraud, keeping coverage honest and trust intact with practical strategies.

Don’t take the bait: How brokers can outsmart phishing scams

Learn how brokers can outsmart phishing scams with strategies to protect sensitive data and enhance cybersecurity.

Don’t get haunted by fraud: Spotting ghost brokers

Learn how to spot ghost brokers and protect your customers from fraudulent motor insurance policies with practical advice.

Home truths: Avoiding misrepresentation in insurance

Help customers avoid misrepresentation in home insurance with clear guidance, transparency, and handy tools for smooth claims and happy outcomes.

Crash for cash: unmasking the tricks behind exaggerated claims

'Cash for crash' schemes are becoming more common in the insurance world. These involve exaggerated claims after planned accidents, creating problems for insurers, brokers, and customers. Knowing how these schemes work and communicating clearly with your customers can help reduce their impact.

Fake staff, false claims: How to spot and stop insurance scams

Staff impersonation and fraudulent claims processing are deceptive practices where individuals pose as legitimate employees or manipulate claims to extract money or benefits unlawfully. These tactics can severely impact brokers, leading to financial losses and reputational damage.

Read more about fake staff, false claims

Insight

Ransomware: Don’t let cybercriminals hold your business hostage

Ransomware attacks are a growing concern in the insurance world, especially for brokers who handle lots of sensitive information. These attacks involve nasty software that locks you out of your own data until you pay a ransom. Let's dive into the risks and how you and your customers can steer clear of these digital headaches.

Cyber incidents

With a greater reliance on technology than ever before, we’ve seen an increase in the frequency and severity of cyber threats and attacks. Any business can be affected and unfortunately, some UK brokers have recently been targeted.

News Article

Insurance fraud - claims exaggeration

In this article, James Burge, head of counter fraud, Allianz Insurance plc, outlines what constitutes fraudulent exaggeration, the impacts on the policyholder and how we should work together to reduce the frequency of claim exaggeration.

Insight & expertise

Protecting customer data - 8 tips from Allianz

Data is a valuable corporate resource. However, data collection carries a range of potential risks that businesses must plan for, including data breaches.

Insight

Future fraud trends

The nature of insurance fraud is constantly evolving as criminals devise new and insidious ways to deceive insurance companies and the general public for illegal financial gain. Read the final article in the BIBA broker guide on insurance fraud.

Insight

Fighting insurance fraud

The scale of the fraud problem facing the insurance industry is clear in the most recent annual figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). However, the positive news is the high rate of detection, increasingly driven by insurers’ own tools and technologies.

Expertise

Non-damage business interruption

The provision for terrorism non-damage business interruption (NDBI) is a welcome and reassuring solution for the insurance industry and its customers.

Expertise

Mind the Gap - Non Damage Business Interruption

Changes in the nature of terror attacks over the last couple of decades are exposing businesses of all sizes to a new set of risks.

Expertise

A BIBA Brokers' Guide to claims inflation trends

The world of insurance claims is constantly evolving.

Nov 21, 2025

AI and insurance fraud

Explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way UK insurers detect, investigate and manage fraud with Ben Fletcher, Director of Fraud at Allianz and Damian Rourke, Partner at Clyde & Co.

This session will focus on the current applications of AI in fraud prevention, including how fraudsters are using AI and how Allianz can support you to stay ahead.

Expect real-world examples, tactical insights and two live demos that showcase both the power and the potential risks of this evolving technology.

Watch it back

Listen to our latest podcast on fraud

Fraud: Detecting deception in the digital age

In this episode we’re delving into the complexities of the UK’s fraud environment, exploring its impact on businesses and the insurance sector.

Vanessa is joined by Matt Crabtree, Head of Financial Crime Intelligence & Investigation Strategy at Allianz UK, and Craig Kennedy, Partner and Head of Cyber Consulting at HF.

We discuss:

The current fraud landscape, including ghost broking
The effects of fraud on businesses and consumers
How brokers can enhance client resilience against fraud
The critical role of incident documentation amidst the surge in 'crash for cash' schemes

Subscribe to our podcast and listen to more episodes

Watch our latest videos on fraud

Video: Fighting the fraud epidemic

Fraud now accounts for over 40% of UK crime, compelling insurers to take decisive action. Ben Fletcher, Director of Fraud and Financial Crime at Allianz UK, talks about the significant impact and public threat posed by insurance fraud. Discover how AI-driven scams are reshaping the landscape of organised crime and understand why data-sharing is crucial in combating the rapidly advancing digital tactics.

Video: Fraud Q&A

Watch Matt Crabtree, Head of Financial Crime Intelligence and Investigation Strategy at Allianz to talk all things fraud. We chat through the kinds of tactics used by ghost brokers, phishing, the most common methods criminals use to steal identities and the typical indicators of a cash for crash scheme. Plus lots more! Watch the video in full to find out more about how to help educate your customers when it comes to fraud.

Our fraud team's warning about quishing

Allianz UK’s fraud team is warning about a rise in quishing frauds. They are similar to so-called phishing, vishing or smishing frauds - where criminals use scam emails, text messages or phone calls to trick their victims into releasing personal details about themselves.

Quishing frauds use online adverts on social media with AI generated deepfake images and videos of politicians and celebrities promoting financial products. People are encouraged to scan QR codes and visit a website, which may download a virus onto your computer, steal bank details or other personal information or sell you a fake insurance policy.

Consumers are warned to be wary of adverts that appear to be:

A project created by the government to improve living standards (playing on the cost of living crisis).
Licensed by the Treasury for tax free trading (making it sound reputable).
The advert will only be shown once, so if you close the page and attempt tomorrow you will miss out (creating a sense of urgency).
The adverts claims the method of making money is 100% legal and ethical (building trust).

Matt Crabtree, head of financial crime at Allianz UK warns: “Fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated and we are seeing increasing use of deep fake frauds on social media adverts impersonating celebrities and politicians. They use fake QR codes that have previously been used in places like car parks to divert customers to fake websites and payment sites to steal their data or money.

“People should be wary of adverts that promise high returns without risk and should check the websites to ensure they are genuine.”

Press release

Allianz UK prevents record level of fraud

Over 34,200 insurance fraud cases, including a ghost broker pocketing more than £133,000, were identified by Allianz UK last year.

Read more about preventing record level of fraud

Press release

Who ya gonna call? Ghost-broker-busters!

Don’t get spooked by ghost brokers this Halloween! Allianz UK is warning motorists to be wary of insurance ghost brokers who fraudulently offer car insurance deals at significantly cheaper prices.

Allianz UK detects frauds totalling £93m in first half of 2025

Leading insurer Allianz UK uncovered more than 15,800 instances of insurance fraud across personal, commercial and specialty lines worth a total of £92.6m in the first half of 2025 – up 34% (£68.9m) on the same period in 2024.

Allianz UK prevents record level of fraud

Leading insurer Allianz UK uncovered 33,027 instances of insurance fraud worth a total of £157.24m in 2024 – equivalent to 90 frauds worth £430,000 a day, and up 10% on the £142.38m figure for 2023.

Press release

Insurance fraud skyrockets with motorbike 'crash for cash' claims up 60-fold

Allianz’s personal lines business has reported a sharp increase in insurance fraud, particularly in 'crash for cash' fraud involving motorbikes and scooters. The insurer's data indicates that crash for cash has increased a staggering 60 times in 2023.

Press release

Allianz prevents 29% more fraud and announces partnership with Clearspeed

Allianz’s personal lines business has reported a 29% increase in fraud prevention in 2023 compared to the previous year. This spans across all types of insurance fraud from motor claims, home claims and application fraud, and the notable rise of ghost brokers.

Press release

Allianz develops machine-learning tool to support growing fraud claims

With the exponential rise in sophisticated technologies, Allianz aims to stay one step ahead in combatting fraudulent insurance claims with AI technology.

Press release

Allianz strengthens EC&P business with internal promotion

Allianz Commercial detected £70.7m worth of insurance fraud in 2022, up from the £63.6m in 2021. This amounts to a £7.1m or 11.2% uptick.

Press release

Allianz Commercial on track for fraud-busting record

Allianz Commercial has successfully prevented £36.8m worth of insurance fraud in the first six months of the year, with marked increases in the property and casualty sectors.

Press release

Suspended sentence for a former employee who lied about being injured by colleague

A former travel agent who claimed a colleague had injured her by stabbing her hand with a pen has been sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for two years.

Press release

Insurance fraudster sentenced

A company director has been jailed for 13 months for setting fire to his factory in an attempt to defraud his insurer, Allianz.

Press release

Factory fire shows dangerous face of insurance fraud

A company director has admitted starting a fire at his printer supply factory in Dundee, in an attempt to gain £2m compensation from its insurer, Allianz.

Press release

Allianz increases fraud savings

Allianz has announced fraud savings of more than £29.6m in the first half of 2019, an increase of £6.9m compared to H1 2018.

Press release

Fraud case struck out as court dismisses three phantom claims

A driver’s claim and three phantom claims have been struck out by a court, following an investigation by Allianz and DAC Beachcroft, which found that the driver had supported fraudulent claims.

News

Insurance Today - Listen to a new podcast from Allianz

Alongside our 'Insurance Tomorrow' podcast series, this new has Allianz experts discussing insurance topics that are hitting the headlines.

Google ad scamming

Think you can spot a Google ad scam? Our guide will help you protect your customers from this deceptive fraud tactic.

Download advice on Google ad scams

Staged accidents

Learn how to protect yourself and your customers from the rising threat of staged accidents.

Download advice on staged accidents

Cyber incidents

With a greater reliance on technology than ever before, we’ve seen an increase in the frequency and severity of cyber threats and attacks.

Download advice on cyber incidents

The top 3 fraud threats

Fraud within insurance is ever evolving so it’s crucial to stay on the pulse of the latest threats. Our guide highlights how you can identify and avoid the latest risks. Here’s our top 3.

Download advice on fraud threats

Insurance vishing

Vishing is where fraudsters seek to commit financial crime by using the phone to get private, personal, and financial information from unsuspecting people.

Download advice on vishing

This promotional material is intended for insurance broker use only and no-one else should rely upon it.
It must not be made available to anyone other than the intended recipient, either in its original form or any reproduction.

Discover our commercial products

Insight on fraud

Truth matters: How to spot and stop motor fraud

Don’t take the bait: How brokers can outsmart phishing scams

Don’t get haunted by fraud: Spotting ghost brokers

Home truths: Avoiding misrepresentation in insurance

Crash for cash: unmasking the tricks behind exaggerated claims

Fake staff, false claims: How to spot and stop insurance scams

Ransomware: Don’t let cybercriminals hold your business hostage

Cyber incidents

Insurance fraud - claims exaggeration

Protecting customer data - 8 tips from Allianz

Future fraud trends

Fighting insurance fraud

Non-damage business interruption

Mind the Gap - Non Damage Business Interruption

A BIBA Brokers' Guide to claims inflation trends

AI and fraud webinar

AI and insurance fraud

Listen to our latest podcast on fraud

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Fraud: Detecting deception in the digital age

Watch our latest videos on fraud

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Video: Fighting the fraud epidemic

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Video: Fraud Q&A

Our fraud team's warning about quishing

Latest news on fraud

Allianz UK prevents record level of fraud

Who ya gonna call? Ghost-broker-busters!

Allianz UK detects frauds totalling £93m in first half of 2025

Allianz UK prevents record level of fraud

Insurance fraud skyrockets with motorbike 'crash for cash' claims up 60-fold

Allianz prevents 29% more fraud and announces partnership with Clearspeed

Allianz develops machine-learning tool to support growing fraud claims

Allianz strengthens EC&P business with internal promotion

Allianz Commercial on track for fraud-busting record

Suspended sentence for a former employee who lied about being injured by colleague

Insurance fraudster sentenced

Factory fire shows dangerous face of insurance fraud

Allianz increases fraud savings

Fraud case struck out as court dismisses three phantom claims

Insurance Today - Listen to a new podcast from Allianz

Download fraud awareness information to send to your customers

Google ad scamming

Staged accidents

Cyber incidents

The top 3 fraud threats

Insurance vishing

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