SGI’s Special Investigation Unit (SUI) had their work cut out for them in 2022, identifying hundreds of fraudulent insurance claims. 

As a result, SGI was able to save $5.8 million, allowing them to keep insurance rates lower for other customers. 

Find some of the most outrageous insurance fraud attempts from 2022 below: 

Case #1- 

One individual reported his vehicle missing to SGI. He claimed that the vehicle had been parked in front of his house with a spare key locked inside. 

Police were able to locate the vehicle a small distance from the caller's house one hour after the claim was made. It had collided into a parked vehicle and a tree nearby. 

The individual then filed a theft and collision claim with SGI. Meanwhile, another customer filed a claim for the parked vehicle and property damage was also submitted.   

SUI was able to find security footage that showed the subject vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed, losing control, and colliding with the parked car, and then the tree. 

The footage also shows a person, matching the initial caller’s description, walking away from the vehicle and locking it with a key fob. 

The individual confessed to causing the collision and was responsible for $50,000 in vehicle and property damages.   

Case #2- 

An individual submitted a claim stating she drove her truck through a “dip with standing water,” causing the engine to quit and resulting in a costly engine repair or replacement.  

During the investigation, SUI discovered that the vehicle’s odometer had somehow been rolled back to show 150,000 fewer kilometres than what should have been on the engine, to increase the value of the truck.   

 The individual withdrew her claim after being confronted with the findings from SUI, saving SGI $7,000. 

Case #3- 

A caller told SGI that he and his girlfriend were travelling at a rate of approximately 55 kilometres per hour through foggy conditions in the early hours of the morning. 

He stated that he missed a turn-off and proceeded to hit an abandoned vehicle on the shoulder of the highway. 

The individual stated that in a panic, they walked to a house nearby, instead of calling the police. 

The residents of the home told police that the couple said they did not want police to know about the collision.   

Police visited the collision site and saw a number of concerning items inside the vehicle, including drug paraphernalia.  

In addition, there was no evidence of fog that morning and no nearby turnoff that the driver could have missed.  

SIU discovered the vehicle was travelling at double the reported speed, and additional witnesses claimed the individual and his girlfriend were both very intoxicated.  

SIU found the account of the incident to be unreliable and vague. His claim was denied for misrepresentation and saved SGI $40,000. 

Case #4- 

A claim was filed with an individual stating that she had hit a deer and left her vehicle on the side of the road. 

She stated that when she returned to the vehicle, it was completely burned.  

SIU contacted a witness who saw two people remove belongings from the vehicle before the vehicle went up in flames a short time later.  

SIU discovered the vehicle was not registered at the time of the collision and had been registered by the individual less than an hour after the incident 

SIU believes the individual also returned to set the vehicle on fire in order to receive a payout.   

The claim was denied, saving SGI $5,000. 

Case #5- 

An individual filed a claim that stated she fell asleep while driving and collided with a parked vehicle. 

The individual admitted to significant financial hardship. The day before the collision, she had spoken with a bailiff about the repossession of her high-valued SUV.  

SIU conducted several interviews to confirm Katherine was in financial trouble. It was discovered she had lied to her bank about being able to make her delinquent payments in order to “buy herself some time.”  

Crash data retrieval evidence showed the vehicle was fully idle five seconds before the collision.  

The evidence also showed that this was followed by fast pressure on the gas pedal, which sent the vehicle propelling forward, with a peak speed of 31 km/h upon impact.  

SIU believes the individual caused the collision intentionally to avoid having the vehicle repossessed.   

Anyone with information about potential insurance fraud is encouraged to contact SGI's Special Investigation Unit at siu@sgi.sk.ca or 1-800-667-8015, ext. 6887.

To report anonymously, call Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.