False claim news
11/11/2008

Woman's car insurance fraudster caught out

A woman set fire to her car in an attempt to make a claim for £1,300 from her woman's car insurance provider, Carlisle Crown Court heard in October.

The Penrith woman and her neighbour pleaded guilty to conspiring to make a false car insurance claim.

On the day of the offence police were waiting at the 36 year old's house when she returned home with the empty petrol can that she had used to aid the lighting of the car.

When told by police that her Fiat had been found ablaze, she initially feigned upset, but subsequently admitted that the car had been set alight as an "insurance job"

The woman's barrister pleaded in mitigation that the woman suffered anxiety and depression.

She said, "This offence clearly arises out of her mental condition. It is not the sort of thing she would normally do."

The woman was given to a three month suspended sentence and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.

Her neighbour was put under a one year probation order and is required to receive treatment for alcohol abuse.

A Covergirl woman's car insurance spokesperson said, "Making a false claim on your car insurance is a serious offence and insurers have a number of sophisticated detection systems to catch fraudsters before a payout is made."