0:00:02 > 0:00:07Insurance fraud in the UK is reaching epidemic levels,
0:00:07 > 0:00:10and it's costing us billions of pounds every year.
0:00:10 > 0:00:16Deliberate crashes, bogus personal injury claims, even fake deaths.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22The fraudsters are risking more and more to make a quick killing
0:00:22 > 0:00:27and every year it's adding up to £50 to your insurance bill.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35Insurers are fighting back. Armed with covert surveillance systems...
0:00:35 > 0:00:39The CCTV cameras are the best tool we have in our fight against fraud.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43..sophisticated data analysis techniques...
0:00:43 > 0:00:47This is connected to a bank account and a second mobile phone number.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50..and a newly formed, dedicated police unit...
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Police! Stand Back!
0:00:52 > 0:00:54..they're catching the criminals red handed.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00All those conmen, scammers and cheats on the fiddle,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04now they're caught in the act and Claimed And Shamed.
0:01:10 > 0:01:11Today...
0:01:11 > 0:01:15a specialist police fraud unit is on the hunt
0:01:15 > 0:01:17for fake pet insurance claims.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20A crash-for-cash gang pick a big victim.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23And just brake, brake, brake, yeah, got it.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27And an insurer is taken for a ride.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31This is a guy who claims that he'll never be able to work again
0:01:31 > 0:01:33and he's pretty well in constant pain.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41All of these collisions are crash-for-cash attempts.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45Crash-for-cash is a term given to collisions
0:01:45 > 0:01:48executed in order to make money from motor insurance policies.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50And it's rife.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54A recent poll found that 5% of drivers under the age of 35
0:01:54 > 0:01:58have staged an accident in order to make a fraudulent insurance claim.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02But crash-for-cash is not an opportunistic crime,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05it's organised, often by gangs.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Simply slamming on their brakes in front of a victim
0:02:10 > 0:02:11would attract suspicion.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15So the crash gangs have evolved a devious two-car tactic.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19First, the gang chose a victim.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Then they move their two cars into position in front of the target.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Gang car number one then slams on its brakes.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Gang car two reacts by braking hard,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32resulting in a rear end shunt from the victim.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Gang car one then turns off at the next possible turning,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38pretending to be unaware of the crash.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44The march of the crash-for-cash gangs isn't going unchecked.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47A specialist unit from the Metropolitan Police
0:02:47 > 0:02:50is determined to remove these fraudsters from our roads.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56Any tactic that we can think of, we will use to catch these people.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00One of the unit's most powerful tools is video surveillance.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Both vehicles now in the offside lane of two.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07It's September 2007.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10A crash-for-cash gang is being filmed on the A41.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13The gang is setting up a grocery van for a smash.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Yes, yes, it's the offside lane towards the Mike 2-5...
0:03:16 > 0:03:21The gang didn't randomly pick the grocery van as a victim.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24They chose it because it's a fleet vehicle.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27The reason for choosing a fleet vehicle is that they're insured
0:03:27 > 0:03:29and that's what they're interested in.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32They're interested in whoever hits them is insured
0:03:32 > 0:03:34so they can maximise their claim
0:03:34 > 0:03:37and not be worried about being run into by a non-insured driver.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41The gang move in on the innocent van driver.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Car number one is about to slam on its brakes,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46forcing car two to react.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Yes, yes, it's the offside lane towards the Mike 2-5
0:03:49 > 0:03:53and they in effect just brake, brake, brake, yeah, got it, yeah...
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Car one, the decoy, has driven off, leaving car two
0:03:56 > 0:03:59to make the claim against the innocent grocer.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Yeah, the lorry's now just gone into the back of the Jaguar.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05- 'And have obtained?' - We have obtained.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09We started looking at this organised criminal gang.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Asian male one now out of the vehicle, and the subject.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19This smash was one of three claims the gang made, totalling £55,000.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Thanks to the video evidence, they didn't keep a penny.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26All six were convicted.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29The main ringleader receiving some eight-months imprisonment
0:04:29 > 0:04:34and the remaining five two-year suspended sentences.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38These fraudsters were off the roads, but the Met Traffic Unit
0:04:38 > 0:04:42is fighting a constant battle against crash-for-cash gangs.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46In the autumn of 2009, the Unit discovered another crash gang,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49and once again a fleet vehicle was the target.
0:04:53 > 0:04:58It involved three lads who decided to basically create
0:04:58 > 0:05:01a slam on in front of a vehicle.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06The blue car ahead is planning to execute a crash-for-cash manoeuvre.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07They are not using a decoy car
0:05:07 > 0:05:11and simply plan to surprise the driver of the fleet vehicle.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13VAN CRASHES INTO CAR
0:05:13 > 0:05:17The van driver falls into their trap.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19The reason they stated for doing an emergency stop was
0:05:19 > 0:05:22there was a bus stop and there was a bus at the bus stop
0:05:22 > 0:05:25and there was a woman stepping off the bus into the road
0:05:25 > 0:05:27and that was the reason why they stopped.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32But the fraudsters are out of luck as the camera fitted to
0:05:32 > 0:05:35the fleet vehicle reveals the truth of the matter.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41As you see on the footage, there is a bus stop, but there is no bus
0:05:41 > 0:05:45and there certainly isn't a woman stepping onto the road.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48When I saw the evidence, I thought it was very audacious
0:05:48 > 0:05:52and I was very surprised that someone could be so blatant to
0:05:52 > 0:05:56just slam on for no apparent reason in the middle of a busy junction
0:05:56 > 0:06:02on a busy road and no regard whatsoever to the chaos that causes.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07At Croydon Crown Court,
0:06:07 > 0:06:09all three occupants of the car were found guilty
0:06:09 > 0:06:11of fraud by false representation
0:06:11 > 0:06:13and each sentenced to three-months imprisonment.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16A satisfactory outcome for the owners of the fleet vehicle,
0:06:16 > 0:06:18online grocer Ocado.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Specifically targeting our drivers is very distressing for them.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30It feels a bit like being mugged.
0:06:30 > 0:06:35It also affects their professional pride in the job that they do.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40When we believe it's a fraudulent crash, we will pursue it
0:06:40 > 0:06:44through the court system, so there's no debate about that at all.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45We'll take it all the way.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49This sort of crime is a growing trend in this country now.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52If people go to prison, they might think twice about doing it.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Brake, brake, brake. Yeah.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56There's absolutely the potential
0:06:56 > 0:06:58that a staged fraudulent accident could kill someone.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01There's no doubt about that, it's an accident
0:07:01 > 0:07:04and it has all the same dangers as any other road accident.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15A police unit raids the home of a suspected insurance fraudster.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Yep, OK.
0:07:18 > 0:07:19A corner shop in Barnsley gets torched.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21She lied to her family,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25she lied to her friends and she lied to the police about what happened.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30And a private investigator closes in on a shamed claimer.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33During the footage which clearly shows him
0:07:33 > 0:07:37going up 40-50 feet high in order to get up on a ride.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45In the fight against the growing problem of insurance fraud,
0:07:45 > 0:07:47an elite police squad have come together to form IFED,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Insurance fraudsters are hitting us in our pockets, that's not right.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58IFED have been set up to combat that problem and we will do so
0:07:58 > 0:08:00by making arrests all over the country.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04This dedicated team works tirelessly to bang up the crooks
0:08:04 > 0:08:08and conmen getting rich off other people's money.
0:08:08 > 0:08:09Police! Stand back!
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Committing insurance fraud, there's every chance that IFED
0:08:12 > 0:08:15are going to come knocking on your door and bringing you to justice.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17Police! Don't move! Stay where you are!
0:08:18 > 0:08:22By April 2012, after only six months of operating,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25they had already busted 80 fraudsters.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29Adding up to £12 million of fraud under investigation.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Insurance fraud is seen at the moment as an easy touch.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34IFED is setting out to stop that
0:08:34 > 0:08:37and make these organised crime groups think again.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44IFED investigates every type of insurance fraud,
0:08:44 > 0:08:49personal injury, buildings, holiday, even pet insurance fraud.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Fraudulent Pet insurance claims rose from £420,000
0:08:53 > 0:08:56in 2009
0:08:56 > 0:08:58to £1.92m in 2011,
0:08:58 > 0:09:03a nearly fivefold increase over two years.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08Today IFED is planning a raid on a suspect known to have
0:09:08 > 0:09:13a long track record of claiming against multiple insurance policies.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20I've in fact dealt with her earlier this year about a number of cases.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24In fact, eight cases in total. This time, when I arrest her,
0:09:24 > 0:09:28I'm going to have to be interviewing her about another 20 cases.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35As well as making numerous home contents claims, she has submitted
0:09:35 > 0:09:38a large number of pet insurance claims with different insurers.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43I'm just getting the paperwork together
0:09:43 > 0:09:47and we're going to have to move quite quickly on this and arrest her
0:09:47 > 0:09:51sooner rather than later because the claims keep on coming in.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57On the raid, the IFED team will be keen to establish whether
0:09:57 > 0:10:00any of the supposedly deceased dogs are still alive.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08We've got information to suggest one Chihuahua is still alive,
0:10:08 > 0:10:14but, um...we think there might be other dogs there as well!
0:10:14 > 0:10:21We're also going to be looking for computers and telephones,
0:10:21 > 0:10:26and, you know, for evidence of her applying for the insurance policies.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30It's hard to separate fact from fiction
0:10:30 > 0:10:32if she comes up with a whole load of stories
0:10:32 > 0:10:35so we're going to have to be careful with the way we deal with her.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42The team members arrive outside the suspect's house.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46Not knowing what to expect, they leave nothing to chance
0:10:46 > 0:10:49and put on protective equipment.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57Hello, (BLEEP). Alex Cooley, yeah. We met in January, didn't we?
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Yes. Why, what's happened now?
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Well, do you want to take a seat?
0:11:02 > 0:11:04DOGS BARK No, OK.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Take a seat and I'll explain.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10I'm going to arrest you for a whole number of fake insurance claims.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13With access to the property gained,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17TI Cooley explains to the suspect what they are looking for.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20We need to look for evidence basically to confirm
0:11:20 > 0:11:23what dogs you have, yeah?
0:11:23 > 0:11:26And to look for documentation for the insurance policies. OK?
0:11:28 > 0:11:30So how many Chihuahuas? I saw one standing up.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33A Staffie-type pitbull, so just go easy,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36- he looks like he's ready to jump. - Yes, OK. Good dog, mate.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Shut that door, we're not intending to search that.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42We do need to get her to the police station as soon as practical.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47We're going to have a look... and we're going to search the house
0:11:47 > 0:11:49for evidence relating to the insurance fraud.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Before taking the suspect into custody, the IFED team
0:11:53 > 0:11:57ask her to direct them to any documents relating to insurance.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Is there anything here that you can help us with to quicken our search?
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Any paperwork relating to those insurance claims?
0:12:04 > 0:12:07What, the claims that have gone on already?
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Anything to do with insurance. Any claims.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13There's that one.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Thank you. If you can just place it on there for us.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18- Anything like that.- Oh, sorry.
0:12:18 > 0:12:19The suspect is compliant.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22She shows the team where to find the paperwork it has come for.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24If you just keep that, we'll take the details with us.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Is there anything upstairs in your bedroom?
0:12:30 > 0:12:33The suspect is taken into custody for further questioning,
0:12:33 > 0:12:35leaving IFED to search the whole house for evidence
0:12:35 > 0:12:38of multiple fraudulent pet insurance claims.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48IFED's search for evidence keeps running into little interruptions.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Personal injury insurance exists to help us when, due to an accident,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04we are unable to work or need money for extra care.
0:13:04 > 0:13:10And, like motor insurance, it's being abused by dishonest claimants.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14The number of personal injury claims received by insurers
0:13:14 > 0:13:19leapt 72% between 2002 and 2010,
0:13:19 > 0:13:21a figure that is set to rise.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28In 2007, this man was injured at work.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31The claimant had been operating a burger van.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33He was mopping up at the end of the day
0:13:33 > 0:13:35and someone collided with the rear of it,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38as a result of which he sustained damage to both knees.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Due to his knee injuries, the burger van owner sought compensation.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44Stating that he was no longer able to work,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48he claimed for £425,000 in lost future earnings.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51On top of that, he made a further claim
0:13:51 > 0:13:53for adaptations to his property.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Shortly after the firm was instructed, we received a request
0:13:58 > 0:14:02for an interim payment to enable this guy to adapt his house
0:14:02 > 0:14:06to fit a through lift, a downstairs bathroom and a downstairs toilet,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09suggesting he had a very high level of disability indeed.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12This was an unforeseen expense for the insurer,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15but before they paid out on any amendments
0:14:15 > 0:14:16to the burger van owner's house
0:14:16 > 0:14:19some information about the claimant was discovered.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Some medical evidence emerged which suggested that he had
0:14:22 > 0:14:25convictions for fraud and dishonesty, as a result of which
0:14:25 > 0:14:28they became particularly interested in the possibility
0:14:28 > 0:14:32that this claim might be one that they should be looking at very hard.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36The insurers were suspicious of the claimant.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39They decided to call in the help of a private investigator.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Insurers will sometimes commission surveillance
0:14:42 > 0:14:45when they believe that the injury which is being claimed
0:14:45 > 0:14:48does not support the level of damages which is beginning to emerge,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50and that was certainly the case here.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54The nature of his work
0:14:54 > 0:14:57means the investigator needs to remain anonymous.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00We specialise in surveillance as a company
0:15:00 > 0:15:04and as a percentage, 75% of the surveillance we carry out
0:15:04 > 0:15:09is insurance fraud or insurance-related surveillance.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Due to an anonymous tip-off, the private investigator
0:15:12 > 0:15:16was instructed to film the claimant for a whole Sunday.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21The solicitor was very keen for us to place the claimant
0:15:21 > 0:15:24under surveillance that particular weekend.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27So it was on a Friday evening that I received a call on my mobile
0:15:27 > 0:15:31from the solicitor and we dispatched a surveillance team.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33You know, it's very short notice for us
0:15:33 > 0:15:36to get the surveillance team and unit together
0:15:36 > 0:15:39and deployed out to the claimant's home address.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42He did come out of the house in the morning,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45seemed to be loading up and sorting out his car.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Well, what unfolded was incredible, really.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51The claimant was on a day trip -
0:15:51 > 0:15:54a day trip to an amusement park.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01After buying himself a ticket,
0:16:01 > 0:16:03the private investigator entered the park
0:16:03 > 0:16:06and set about surveilling the claimant.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10We filmed him as and when it was possible.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13At the theme park, he was going on rides
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and he did have a walking stick with him, but it didn't seem
0:16:16 > 0:16:19as though he was using it in a weight-bearing capacity.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22The video evidence showed a man capable of walking without
0:16:22 > 0:16:26the aid of a stick and comfortably handling a fairground mallet.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30Later on during the day, you know the strongman hammer,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34you bang it with a mallet and up it goes, you try to hit the bell,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36he was filmed using one of those.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39And this is a guy who claims he'll never work again,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42he's totally restricted with his mobility
0:16:42 > 0:16:44and he's in pretty well constant pain.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47That day, his claim to need a stair lift
0:16:47 > 0:16:50and downstairs bathroom was also to be dispelled.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55It was interesting that he claimed he needed a ground-floor bathroom
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and a stair lift. However, during the footage
0:16:58 > 0:17:01it clearly shows him going up 40, 50 feet high
0:17:01 > 0:17:03in order to get on a ride.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10The surveillance op filmed the claimant managing
0:17:10 > 0:17:14a four-story ascent before shooting down an amusement ride.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22At the end of the day, the camera does not lie
0:17:22 > 0:17:26and you can't argue the case. The video footage clearly shows
0:17:26 > 0:17:29an individual who is exaggerating his symptoms.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32From the time he left his home address to getting back after being
0:17:32 > 0:17:37at the theme park, he was out for approximately ten hours of the day.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41In the face of such overwhelming evidence, the burger van owner
0:17:41 > 0:17:44had no choice but to accept a vastly reduced payout.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47The result of all this was a claim that was originally put at £800,000
0:17:47 > 0:17:50was settled for a very small fraction of that indeed.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53In addition to getting his small percentage of what he claimed,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55there was also a costs order against him.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57This is another case where I would be surprised
0:17:57 > 0:18:01if the claimant came out any better off than when he went in.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03I would say the general public would think,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07hang on a minute, I pay huge premiums for my motor insurance,
0:18:07 > 0:18:12for my household insurance and they seem to go up every single year,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16way above the rate of inflation, and the reason they are going up
0:18:16 > 0:18:19is because we have become a claim culture.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22This person is really exaggerating
0:18:22 > 0:18:26and they are defrauding the system and as a result of these individuals
0:18:26 > 0:18:29our claims are going through the roof.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Most business premises in the UK are insured against property damage.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42A sensible measure when you consider that in the UK in 2009,
0:18:42 > 0:18:47large-scale fire damage costs totalled £865 million.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53Shockingly, 40% of all fires at commercial premises
0:18:53 > 0:18:56are subsequently found to have been arson.
0:19:00 > 0:19:01Meet Sukhjit Kaur.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04She and her husband used to own D&S Supersave,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07a corner-shop in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11D&S Supersave had been serving the needs of East Barnsley,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14until a terrible event destroyed the family business.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22It was 3.30 in the morning, the 9th of March 2010
0:19:22 > 0:19:27when the police received the call from Mrs Kaur.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Mrs Kaur was in a very hysterical state,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33and she was at a neighbour's address at the time.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35The neighbour took over the call,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38and the information was passed through the neighbour to the effect
0:19:38 > 0:19:43that three masked men had gone into Mrs Kaur's home address,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46held them at knifepoint,
0:19:46 > 0:19:51her and her husband and a small child.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56For a number of hours had been held hostage at knifepoint, um...and...
0:19:56 > 0:19:58just prior to leaving the address,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00the masked men set fire to the premises.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Her husband was also asked about the masked gang.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Mr Singh maintained the same story,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11that three masked men had gone into the house,
0:20:11 > 0:20:15held them at knifepoint, and set fire to the premises.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Sukhjit and her husband claimed to have been subjected
0:20:18 > 0:20:20to a frightening attack, lost their livelihood
0:20:20 > 0:20:23and nearly killed in their own home.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Their neighbour, Jean Kaye, was also affected by the fire.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33The neighbour was very shook up.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38It was 3.30 in the morning, she was asleep in bed.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42She was awoken by the sound of an explosion,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46which was probably from aerosols within the store.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50When she woke, her house was smoke filled.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53She did suffer from smoke inhalation,
0:20:53 > 0:20:57and she had to be taken to hospital for treatment.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Had she not woke up, it could have been much, much more serious.
0:21:00 > 0:21:05Having survived the ordeal, Mrs Kaur informed her insurer of the event,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08submitting a claim for £166,000.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10With this payout,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Sukjhit and her husband could rebuild their business.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17Their insurer began to process their claim, but soon hit a snag.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22We discovered that she'd taken the policy out one day before the fire.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26This coincidence raised the suspicion of the insurer,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28so they looked into the financial state of the couple.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30It didn't look good.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Mrs Kaur told our loss adjuster
0:21:33 > 0:21:37the business had been in financial difficulty for some years.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41They used to run a post office which went.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45For the last six, seven years, they'd had great difficulty in surviving,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48and she'd borrowed lots of money from a local money lender.
0:21:48 > 0:21:55She didn't admit to the loss adjuster or to us exactly how much she owed,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57but we know, having done the background checks,
0:21:57 > 0:22:01in terms of financial status - this is in the public domain -
0:22:01 > 0:22:06that she owed up to, well, she had CCJs to the value of £150,000.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08With a business deeply in debt
0:22:08 > 0:22:11and a potential insurance payout of £166,000,
0:22:11 > 0:22:13the insurer had good reason to suspect
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Sukjhit and her husband were involved in the arson.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20So South Yorkshire Police brought her in for questioning.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33When we first spoke to Mrs Kaur...
0:22:33 > 0:22:35she broke down,
0:22:35 > 0:22:40and told us that she was in a lot of debt, and that she was involved.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43That led to her arrest
0:22:43 > 0:22:47and she was formally interviewed at the police station.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51And it was during that interview that she confessed
0:22:51 > 0:22:53to being involved in setting the fire,
0:22:53 > 0:22:57for the purpose of making an insurance claim.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Although she confessed to the crime,
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Sukjhit insisted the plan hadn't been her idea.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09She owed a lot of money to the loan shark and he wanted his money back,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13so what he suggested to her was to put in a large insurance fraud.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15He would organise people to come into the shop
0:23:15 > 0:23:18in the dead of night and actually set the fire.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20At Sheffield Crown Court,
0:23:20 > 0:23:25Sukhjit Kaur was sentenced to five years for conspiracy to defraud,
0:23:25 > 0:23:27later reduced to four years on appeal.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29For his part in the deception,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32her husband was sentenced to three years.
0:23:35 > 0:23:41She had of her own accord managed to get herself into a lot of debt.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45She couldn't manage that debt, she could see no way out of that debt.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50She lied to her family, she's lied to her friends,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53and she lied to the police about what happened.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55When we found out they'd been given custodial sentences,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58for us at Allianz it was a very pleasing outcome.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02It sends a message out that insurance fraud is no longer
0:24:02 > 0:24:05a victimless crime, there are victims.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07And you won't get away with it.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Today the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department, IFED,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22has raided the property of a woman suspected of multiple attempts
0:24:22 > 0:24:24of pet insurance fraud.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29She has been taken into custody, leaving the team
0:24:29 > 0:24:31to search her property for evidence.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Her boyfriend has just arrived outside.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38The boyfriend's here. Right, OK.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41She's just with a female officer because we're going to be
0:24:41 > 0:24:44questioning her today in (BLEEP) police station.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46MUFFLED SPEECH
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Well, she was dealt with for a number of offences
0:24:49 > 0:24:52earlier in the year, as you know.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57Unfortunately there are offences which have occurred more recently
0:24:57 > 0:24:59and some going back over the last couple of years.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04IFED resumes its search.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Just like the suspect,
0:25:15 > 0:25:19her boyfriend proves to be helpful in the hunt for evidence.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20Hamster seed.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27The search for evidence spreads to the first floor of the property.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29I'm going to take these two
0:25:29 > 0:25:31because they're just related to identity documents.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35- Will you give that back afterwards? - Yeah, she'll get everything back.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41In less than an hour, the team has unearthed several bags
0:25:41 > 0:25:44of potential evidence relating to pet insurance claims.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Making the search more complicated is the fact that the suspect
0:25:49 > 0:25:51goes under several aliases.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Who's (BLEEP)?
0:25:57 > 0:25:59- Is that your missus?- Yeah.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Even after an hour,
0:26:01 > 0:26:05the team still isn't used to the smaller inhabitants of the house.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Aw, little man. DOG BARKS
0:26:07 > 0:26:08(BLEEP) on, you!
0:26:10 > 0:26:13DOGS BARK
0:26:15 > 0:26:17IFED has seen enough.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20It has a boot full of potential evidence,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23leaving the team confident of a conviction.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27It is putting more money on everyone's insurance policies
0:26:27 > 0:26:31because the fraud element is always taken into account by the insurers,
0:26:31 > 0:26:36so hopefully, by arresting the suspect today,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40we'll make some small contribution towards turning things around
0:26:40 > 0:26:44so that hopefully one day, insurance premiums can start to come down.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47The suspect was later charged
0:26:47 > 0:26:50and sentenced to 22 months in prison.