Insurance claims expert witnesses may opine on insurance policy interpretation, insurance fraud, and related topics. In 8 Great Ways to Get Busted for Auto Insurance Fraud, Insurance.com writes:
6. Include previous damage to your car in your loss report.
How could an investigator know when the damage happened? You’ve wanted to fix the dent in your door for a long time now, and this seems like the perfect opportunity. It’s not, because the SIU can use rust analysis and wear patterns to determine if the damage is new or old.
7. “Negotiate” with the repair shop to pad the estimate.
Your car insurance will cover the damage to your fender, which is the good news. The bad news is that you still have to pay the deductible. Maybe the repair shop could just add your deductible to their bill? However, the SIU fraud claims adjusters know how long a repair takes and how much the parts cost, so they’ll know the estimate is too high. And, a reputable repair shop won’t risk its reputation to help you commit fraud.
Read more: insurance.com.