A staged crash, exaggerated injuries and filing a claim after driving under the influence are among Manitoba Public Insurance's top fraudulent insurance claims of 2022.
Every year, MPI publishes its Top Five fraud list to raise awareness about the costs associated with auto insurance fraud, which cost insurance payers roughly $50 a year, according to Marnie Kacher, MPI's chief operating officer.
In 2022, nearly 3,000 fraud investigations were closed, resulting in savings of more than $14 million, according to a news release issued Thursday.
Here are five of the fraudulent claims that stood out, according to MPI.
A person whose vehicle was hit by another driver who was changing lanes received income replacement benefits and personal care assistance through MPI, saying the collision caused serious injuries including a concussion, headaches, dizziness, back, knee and neck pain.
The person claimed the injuries were so severe they made lifting a pen or opening a water bottle a struggle, while balance issues, nausea and full body pain kept them in bed most of the time.
MPI's special investigation unit looked into the claim and witnessed the person walking long distances, including shopping for hours at several stores, lifting groceries and driving a motorcycle on multiple occasions.
At that point, MPI cancelled the person's benefits, saving ratepayers more than $300,000.
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