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How to report insurance fraud

Who to call about suspected auto insurance fraud (your insurer, your state, NICB or the FTC), what details to gather, and whether you can stay anonymous.

4AutoInsurance · Published October 4, 2026

To report suspected auto insurance fraud, contact your state's insurance fraud unit or the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The NAIC's Online Fraud Reporting System routes a report to the right state, and NICB takes tips at 800-TEL-NICB (800-835-6422) or online. If the fraud involves your own claim or policy, tell your insurer too. If you were the victim of a scam that took your money, add the FTC and local police. You can usually report anonymously.

Pick the right channel

Different offices handle different problems. Sending a report to the right one first saves time.

What happened Where to report
Someone staged a crash with you, faked an injury, or padded a claim against you Your insurer (ask for its fraud or SIU line), your state fraud bureau, and police if it happened on the road
A repair shop or tow company billed for work not done or inflated the bill Your insurer's SIU, your state fraud bureau, NICB
An "agent" sold you a policy that turned out to be fake Your state insurance department and fraud bureau, police, and the FTC
You suspect a neighbor or coworker of a fake theft claim or lying about where a car is kept State fraud bureau or NICB (anonymous tips are accepted)
Robocalls, texts or emails pretending to be an insurer, or selling "warranties" The FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, illegal sales calls at DoNotCall.gov
Your insurer denied, delayed or underpaid your claim Not fraud. File a consumer complaint with your state insurance department (how to file a complaint against a car insurance company)

That last row matters. NICB states that it combats fraud and does not handle complaints about an insurer's service or rates. State fraud bureaus investigate crimes; they do not settle claim disputes.

The main reporting options

  • NICB. Call 800-TEL-NICB (800-835-6422), Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time, or use the online tip form at nicb.org. NICB is a not-for-profit funded by insurers that works with insurers and law enforcement; see The National Insurance Crime Bureau explained.
  • Your state. According to the NAIC, 42 states and D.C. have a dedicated fraud bureau; state insurance fraud bureaus: who investigates and how to reach them lists contacts for several, such as Florida's hotline at 1-800-378-0445 and New York's 888-FRAUDNY. The NAIC's Online Fraud Reporting System works for any state. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud does not take reports itself and points people to these same channels.
  • Your insurer. Many insurers have a fraud hotline or online form. The number is usually on the company's website, often on a page titled "report fraud."
  • Police. If you were the target of a crime, such as a staged crash, theft, or a fake policy that took your money, a police report helps every other agency and your own claim.
  • The FTC. For scams aimed at consumers rather than insurers: fake insurers, phishing and warranty robocalls.

What to include

Investigators can act on details, not suspicions. Before you report, write down:

  1. Who. Names, businesses, phone numbers, emails, websites, social media accounts, license plates.
  2. What. What was said or done, in as much detail as you can.
  3. When and where. Dates, times and locations.
  4. Paper trail. Claim numbers, policy numbers, receipts, estimates, texts, photos and dash cam or phone video.
  5. How you know. Did you see it yourself or hear it from someone else?

Keep copies of everything. Do not alter files; send them as they are.

Can you stay anonymous?

Usually, yes. NICB's online form lets you submit a tip without giving your name. NICB notes that if you do give your name and contact details, you could be identified as the source if its records are subpoenaed or required in court. State fraud units generally accept anonymous tips as well, but an anonymous tip cannot be followed up with questions. If you have documents or saw the event yourself, giving a way to reach you makes the report more useful.

Some states pay rewards. Florida's Department of Financial Services offers up to $25,000 when a tip leads to an arrest and conviction (see state insurance fraud bureaus: who investigates and how to reach them).

What not to do

  • Don't confront the person or tell them you are reporting them. Organized fraud rings can be dangerous, and a warning gives them time to destroy evidence.
  • Don't investigate on your own beyond saving what you already have. Recording people, entering property or posing as a customer can create legal problems for you.
  • Don't post accusations online. If you are wrong, you risk a defamation claim. If you are right, you may tip off the target.
  • Don't sit on it. Evidence fades and repair records get thrown out.

What happens after you report

Expect silence. Fraud investigations can take months or years, and agencies generally do not update tipsters because cases may end in prosecution. Your report may be combined with others, matched against claim databases, or used to watch for a pattern before anyone acts. You may only learn the outcome if charges are announced.

If the fraud affected your own claim, stay in touch with your insurer's adjuster or SIU investigator. Answer their questions honestly and quickly, because they may need your statement. If you were targeted in a staged crash, your insurer's investigation is also what protects you from paying for injuries that did not happen.

Fraud that is easy to overlook

Not all fraud involves rings and staged crashes. Investigators also want to hear about soft fraud, such as exaggerating a real claim or adding old damage to a new one, and about rate evasion, such as registering a car at a cheaper address. See premium fraud: garaging address and driver misrepresentation. Fraud of every size adds to everyone's premiums. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud estimates that insurance fraud of all kinds costs U.S. consumers at least $308.6 billion a year. Organized hard fraud, such as staged crashes and billing rings, often involves several people, clinics or shops working together.

For how fraud is punished once it is proven, see penalties for auto insurance fraud.

Key takeaways

  • Report auto insurance fraud to your state fraud bureau (via the NAIC's ofrs.naic.org if you are unsure which) or to NICB at 800-835-6422; tell your insurer if your own claim is involved.
  • Scams aimed at you, such as fake insurers, phishing and warranty robocalls, go to the FTC, and illegal sales calls go to DoNotCall.gov.
  • Claim disputes are not fraud. Take them to your state insurance department's complaint process.
  • Give names, dates, places, claim numbers and documents. Anonymous tips are accepted but cannot be followed up.
  • Don't confront suspects or investigate on your own, and expect no progress updates.

Terms used in this guide

Insurance fraud Deceiving an insurer, or a policyholder, for financial gain, from staged crashes and padded claims to fake policies and lies on applications. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) A nonprofit funded by member insurers that investigates insurance fraud and vehicle theft, works with police and runs the free VINCheck lookup. Special investigations unit (SIU) The team inside an insurance company that investigates suspected fraud in claims and applications and refers cases to authorities. State department of insurance The state agency that licenses insurers and agents, reviews rates and policy forms, monitors solvency and handles consumer complaints. Soft fraud Opportunistic insurance fraud by otherwise honest people, such as padding a real claim or giving false details to lower a premium. Hard fraud Deliberately staging or inventing a loss, such as a fake crash, arson or false theft report, in order to collect insurance money.

Related states

Florida Florida is a no-fault state: most drivers need only $10,000 PIP and $10,000 property damage liability, with no bodily injury coverage. A 51% fault bar applies. New York New York is a no-fault state requiring 25/50/10 liability (50/100 for death), $50,000 of PIP and 25/50 uninsured motorist coverage. Texas Texas is an at-fault state requiring 30/60/25 liability. PIP and uninsured motorist coverage come with every policy unless you reject them in writing.

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