I am recent transplant to Arizona from Ohio. I had a broken windshield a couple years ago and had it replaced.
Every few months now I get a call from one glass company or another asking me if I want a new windshield. The caller always tells me that sand abrasion must have damaged my windshield by now and if I get a new windshield I get a gift certificate of some kind. I use Rain-X on my windshield and it seems to prevent sand damage as well as making rain bead up and blow away.
The glass companies emphasize that I should get a new window anyway since my insurance company has to pay for it, not me.
I called my insurance agent and said this sounds like insurance fraud to me if I claim for a windshield I don’t need just to get a gift certificate. My agent was not interested and said it was no big deal.
It might not be fraud, but it’s at least gaming the system. Which drives up the cost of insurance for everyone. Who knows, it might cheaper to just pay for windshield than to investigate and prove that you didn’t need one and deny the claim.
Hey Bubba- What really disappointed me was that when I gave may agent the names and phone numbers of the auto glass companies he said it wasn’t worth looking into. I’m sure you’re right about the cost of investigating such a small claim.
There is usually a pretty hefty reward from the state for reporting fraudulent activity that leads to an arrest. Call your state office of insurance regulation and tell them about the suspicious calls that you received from the glass dealers.
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And they teach courses about ethics???
I am recent transplant to Arizona from Ohio. I had a broken windshield a couple years ago and had it replaced.
Every few months now I get a call from one glass company or another asking me if I want a new windshield. The caller always tells me that sand abrasion must have damaged my windshield by now and if I get a new windshield I get a gift certificate of some kind. I use Rain-X on my windshield and it seems to prevent sand damage as well as making rain bead up and blow away.
The glass companies emphasize that I should get a new window anyway since my insurance company has to pay for it, not me.
I called my insurance agent and said this sounds like insurance fraud to me if I claim for a windshield I don’t need just to get a gift certificate. My agent was not interested and said it was no big deal.
It might not be fraud, but it’s at least gaming the system. Which drives up the cost of insurance for everyone. Who knows, it might cheaper to just pay for windshield than to investigate and prove that you didn’t need one and deny the claim.
Hey Bubba- What really disappointed me was that when I gave may agent the names and phone numbers of the auto glass companies he said it wasn’t worth looking into. I’m sure you’re right about the cost of investigating such a small claim.
There is usually a pretty hefty reward from the state for reporting fraudulent activity that leads to an arrest. Call your state office of insurance regulation and tell them about the suspicious calls that you received from the glass dealers.