Technology is making it easier to create counterfeit documents and not-for-profit fraud prevention service Cifas said that in 2023, insurers saw a 20% rise in false application cases when compared to the previous years.

Stephen Dalton, director of intelligence at Cifas, said: “The increasing sophistication of false documents poses a significant challenge for the insurance sector. The ease by which fake websites can be created, and the growth of generative AI and deepfake technology manipulation means that some of these documents are highly convincing and may be capable of bypassing verification checks.

“While organised crime groups and ghost brokers continue to negatively impact the insurance industry, we’ve seen a rise in opportunistic fraud by individuals making false and exaggerated claims. Submitting a fraudulent car insurance claim can have serious consequences, including invalidating coverage and even result in prosecution.”