Zurich UK has announced that its general insurance business prevented £78.5m worth of fraud during 2023. This included £15.5m in property claims, an area in which fraud levels have doubled in the past two years, according to the carrier.

Scott Clayton, head of claims fraud at Zurich, said: “It’s clear that every year fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated, sometimes executed by highly organised criminal gangs.

“Whilst there isn’t a silver bullet, it’s important for every insurer to keep pace by using the latest detection technology, alongside human intervention, in order to combat fraud and protect the honest customer.”