OREANDA-NEWS. August 27, 2009. The results of the first half of 2009 show almost 20% increase in the number of insurance fraud cases. According to the experts of ROSNO Security Department, fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated, and they are interested only in large compensations, which they are trying to get from the leading insurance companies, not only in Moscow, but in the regions as well, reported the press-centre of ROSNO.

Based upon the results of the 1st half of 2009, ROSNO Security Department states that fraudsters are increasingly interested in cheating insurance companies. As before, foul play is most widespread in such insurance fields as motor insurance, property insurance, and mortgage insurance. The company’s experts note that, despite the insurers’ consistent safety policy, fraud cases are becoming more sophisticated. At the same time, tension vector is moving from Moscow to the regions.

In the 1st half of 2009, the antifraud measures taken by ROSNO Security Department have enabled the company to prevent unlawful payments for the total amount of over 70 mln roubles (representing a 17% growth versus the same period of the year 2008). The interaction between ROSNO and law enforcement authorities has resulted in 17% increase in the number of criminal cases initiated with ROSNO’s participation. The nature of investigated cases is varying. Here are some examples.

In one of the Povolzh’e regions, a private entrepreneur insured equipment for over 4 million roubles. 7 months later, the insurant claimed that this property had been stolen. The materials and facts accumulated during the investigation have enabled the company to prove at the arbitration court proceedings that the documents had been forged, and some facts had been misstated.

In June 2009, the company elaborated and took measures enabling it to prevent payment of compensations to the fraudsters attempting to unlawfully withdraw monies from bank accounts of the companies of Allianz Eurasia by virtue of forged writs of execution of the Ostankino Court of the city of Moscow. The said writs of execution stipulated collection of various monetary amounts to the benefit of the private individuals specified therein. In June, Allianz companies in Russia received three such claims for the total amount of over 1.6 million roubles. The experts of ROSNO Security Department think that such cases may become widespread.

In the first half of 2009, the number of regions were notable for the large number of cases of stealage of insured cars. For example, in the North-Western region, there were 58 cases of stealage of cars covered by ROSNO MOD insurance, representing an increase by 16% against the same period of the year 2008. The car models most frequently stolen in St. Petersburg are: Mitsubishi, Honda and Subaru.

The Security Department has taken a number of measures in course of investigation of these insured accidents. Thanks to the close cooperation with GIBDD, the company’s specialists managed to find 10 cars stolen from St. Petersburg and St. Petersburg Region. Overall, in the 1st half of 2009, 26 stolen cars were found, representing an increase by 160% against the same period of 2008. The range of geographic locations of stolen and found cars registered in St. Petersburg is impressive: Audi Q7 was found in Rostov Region, Mitsubishi Outlander — in Tula, BMW 525 — in Sweden, BMWХ5 — in Krasnoyarsk, BMW 318 — in Krasnodar, Mitsubishi Lancer and Toyota Corolla — in the Moscow Region. According to ROSNO experts, the increase in the number of stolen cars in St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg Region is due to several factors: first, thieves are now skilled in neutralizing the satellite search systems, and, second, the GIBDD system "Potok" is not applied in the region.