Faking an accident is not the way to win big

By Paul Hurst

There are those that believe that a car accident = jackpot! Well, despite the urban myth that being injured in an accident means you get a lot of money, the reality is not quite like that. There are some people that do engage in fraudulent injury claims, but what is not so well understood is that claims adjusters and others working in insurance are not stupid. All insurance claims require that the claimant (the person making the claim for a loss or injury) proves their loss.

This proof includes having medical professionals determine the nature and extent of the injury. As I mentioned in a previous column, both you and the insurance company must show “utmost good faith.” In other words, being dishonest may lead to far more problems than you might want to deal with. If you decide to make a fraudulent claim, please be aware that the adjuster has seen this before, and is well trained in identifying fraud. Setting your own car on fire for whatever reason may result in the RCMP or other police agencies asking you a lot of uncomfortable questions. I’ve never been handcuffed by the Mounties, and I don’t want you to be either. Please think long and hard before doing something you’ll regret. Use some of that higher learning and superior intelligence that allows you to study at SFU.

If you are caught in an act of fraud, ICBC is within its rights to sue you in civil court to recover the money it paid out. The insurer may claim punitive damages on top of that. They may also contact the police to see if Criminal Code sanctions against you are warranted.

I’m aware of three different kind of gambling establishments in Canada. The first is your friendly neighbourhood casino. The odds of winning are mathematically determined. I like the casino because of the free coffee and the cheap thrill of the slot machines. The second is the stock market. The odds of losing are unknowable, but they are stacked against you. Not as much fun as the casino. The third is the courts. The possible outcomes of court are as varied as the grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth. I’ve been to this gambling establishment, and I recommend you avoid it at all costs (most of which you’re going to incur anyway).

If you want to play a trick on someone, do it to a sibling or frenemy of your choice. If you want to play games with a crown corporation that knows how to play hardball, it may not be as much fun as you imagined. I’ll just provide one last caveat. If you plan to party this Halloween with your good friend Johnny Walker, please do not get behind the wheel. Take a cab, as the $50 or more you spend will be a tiny fraction of the costs of a worst-case scenario. Plus, you’ll live to buy all the discount chocolate the next day — win-win!