Insurance Company is Investigating Me for Fraud

[easymack63]

So, it goes like this. When I bought my car insurance, I was unemployed so I got the cheapest one I could. Then, in April I got a job. When paying bills at the end of May I realized that my coverage is kind of bad and changed some things - specifically the deductible for collision and comprehensive. That was May 29.

The following weekend I had an issue with my phone (blue-screen-of-death-like problems) and did a hard reset. After that my phone was working so I just left it alone, not checking the time or date settings.

On Monday, June 2, I was on the way to work when a retread from a semi hit my car and there is some damage on the front end. I reported it, everything was ok, then the adjuster asked for a picture. I sent him a picture I had taken that day following the accident, not realizing that the time stamp would be incorrect and, for some reason, listed as May 29.

Now my case has been transferred to investigations and I am very concerned. What evidence can I submit that shows my innocence here? I am not lying. If I was, I wouldnt be so stupid as to send him a picture with a bad time stamp.

What could happen to me if they determine that its fraud? Would I have to pay the old higher deductible or would my claim be rejected completely? Could they pursue criminal charges?

 

[Newby]

So, it goes like this. When I bought my car insurance, I was unemployed so I got the cheapest one I could. Then, in April I got a job. When paying bills at the end of May I realized that my coverage is kind of bad and changed some things - specifically the deductible for collision and comprehensive. That was May 29. The following weekend I had an issue with my phone (blue-screen-of-death-like problems) and did a hard reset. After that my phone was working so I just left it alone, not checking the time or date settings. On Monday, June 2, I was on the way to work when a retread from a semi hit my car and there is some damage on the front end. I reported it, everything was ok, then the adjuster asked for a picture. I sent him a picture I had taken that day following the accident, not realizing that the time stamp would be incorrect and, for some reason, listed as May 29. Now my case has been transferred to investigations and I am very concerned. What evidence can I submit that shows my innocence here? I am not lying. If I was, I wouldnt be so stupid as to send him a picture with a bad time stamp. What could happen to me if they determine that its fraud? Would I have to pay the old higher deductible or would my claim be rejected completely? Could they pursue criminal charges?

What kind of phone doesn't have automatic time date settings?

If the date showed Jan 1st 2000 you can likely prove it.

If it showed a week or so before the accident you better get a good criminal lawyer. Because that really is fraud.

 

[easymack63]

It does show the week before, but its not fraud. The other thing at play is that my niece who is 4 was playing with my phone, which I just realized, so that may be to blame. I dont know. Now Im scared.

 

[VolAgent]

Whatever you do, don't lie. If you don't know the answer, tell them you don't know.

If your story is changing or someone clearly contradicts your story, they are going to assume you are lying.

I would look for evidence that shows I was elsewhere on the 29th and that I was on the road in question on the 2nd.

A phone can be taken off network time and set with a specific time and date. But the timestamp is going to be hard to refute.

 

[easymack63]

Ok, I understand all that. I am preparing now to call my contact at the agency. First of all, I immediately told them that it mustve been because of my phone problems. Of course, now I realize that the first responder was correct and my time would probably have been January 2000 or something. So now I think it was my niece... but I dont want to call back and change my story now. Should I just cancel the claim and not repair my car? Id rather do that than be involved in a criminal issue.

 

[Mark]

Did you get a police report?

 

[easymack63]

No, I was going down the 405 and it was just a little damage. Didnt see any reason to do that.

Also, I was in exactly the same place on the 29th, because I commute there every day.

 

[F150]

I don't like this fraud when it was happened ...that's like an accident.

 

[goillini52]

I don't like this fraud when it was happened ...that's like an accident.

Great post! I couldn't agree with you more.