Irish car owners are being warned about insurance scams from fake brokers

Well, this is scary.

Irish car owners are being warned about insurance scams which could result in cars not being insured properly. Last year, the Central Bank of Ireland released figures about 300 unauthorised firms warning people to be careful when dealing with unknown practices. As part of this, it was found that some companies weren't selling accurate or valid insurance, even though on paper it appeared they had been. The ongoing issue sees different brokers giving discounts of 15percent or more than their competitors. In order to get customers this discount, they issue fake details to insurance companies, often lying about addresses, age, no claims bonuses and other vital details. Once the quote goes through, they get the documents from the company and edit them to reflect the actual details of their client. When the client receives their documents, everything appears above board and fully accurate, but when it comes down to a crash or a claim, their insurance is not valid. They're targeting the more vulnerable groups of people, according to Helen Devery, head of BLM’s broker sector. She told The Sun:

"Many will go unchecked, scam and get money out of people and then go away. They are targeting those who they perceive to be vulnerable individuals: students, people with convictions. People who typically might find it more difficult to get insurance. They are very sophisticated. Some will replicate policy documents and have the means to do that. Others will buy a policy with a reputable provider based on false information. And then doctor that policy before it is sent back to you. So it looks authentic but is not worth the paper it is written on. But it is false so it is then not valid."

The main advice when looking for insurance is to go with a reputable, trustworthy broker or directly to the insurance company. If you happen to stumble upon a quote that's far lower than others, it's always best to be cautious. If it looks too good to be true it probably is.