Motorists who manipulate car insurance claims using AI could face a decade behind bars. An increasing number of drivers are resorting to advanced AI tools to exaggerate damage on their vehicles for insurance claims.
Alicia Hempstead, a car insurance specialist at MoneySuperMarket, issued a stern warning: “Making fraudulent claims using AI tools is insurance fraud and is a criminal offence under the Fraud Act 2006. Offenders who are caught using artificially generated images to make claims, could face imprisonment of up to 10 years and a criminal record.
“Fraudsters who think they will get away with claims because this is new technology should be aware that they could be brought to justice years down the line.” Hempstead also gave advice for when making legitimate claims: “If you do need to make an insurance claim, it’s important that you accurately document the damage – and do not apply any filters or edit images, even if it’s just to sharpen them.”
With over 40,500 monthly Google searches for ‘AI image generation’, those attempting to deceive insurers with manipulated images stand to face severe consequences if caught.
Drivers should photograph vehicle damage promptly after it happens, provided it’s safe, and follow guidelines to ensure the credibility of the images; using a phone camera is sufficient, given a clear lens and good lighting conditions, reports Birmingham Live.
They are also advised that wide shot images are useful to get a wider context of the damage, and close up shots are useful too to help spot details. Always include photos of the license plates involved in the damage, too.
Motorists are also encouraged to document any interior damage from multiple angles to provide context, as well as close-ups, say experts. And refrain from editing – even just for clarity – because any tampering could result in reprimand.
