In Westland, where lorries loaded with tomatoes and flowers travel daily along the N213 and seasonal workers labour in greenhouse complexes around Naaldwijk, the temptation occasionally arises to make a damage claim just a little more attractive. Insurance fraud costs honest premium payers hundreds of millions of euros each year. The Dutch Banking Association estimates the additional burden at approximately € 950 million.
Forms of fraud in the agricultural sector
1. Fictitious damage claim
Nothing has occurred, yet a claim is submitted. A bicycle that was never stolen but sold, or damage to a van that was deliberately caused. A false police report or witness statement often completes the narrative.
2. Exaggeration of actual damage
The damage exists, but the invoice is inflated. Consider:
- Household contents lists featuring items that were never present in the greenhouse
- Quotations for repairs that never took place
- Compensation for pain and suffering for complaints that are barely present
3. Non-disclosure upon conclusion of the policy
Failure to report relevant facts falls under the duty of disclosure (Section 7:928 Dutch Civil Code). Only once intent is proven does the matter shift to fraud.
4. Identity fraud
Claims submitted under another person’s name or policies taken out on deceased individuals. Often linked to money-laundering practices.
5. Organised fraud
Gangs staging accidents with false medical documents and cooperating garages. Amounts per case run into tens of thousands of euros; totals reach millions. The CIS and police cooperate to dismantle networks.
Consequences of fraud
Civil-law consequences
- Recovery of amounts paid out
- Extrajudicial costs borne by you
- Policy termination and exclusion elsewhere
- CIS registration visible to all insurers for 5–8 years
Criminal-law consequences
Fraud (Section 326 Dutch Criminal Code) carries a maximum penalty of four years’ imprisonment or a € 90,000 fine. The organised form may attract up to six years (Section 140 Dutch Criminal Code). The Public Prosecution Service in Den Haag pursues major cases and repeat offenders rigorously before the Rechtbank Den Haag.
Professional and social consequences
A conviction may block a certificate of conduct (VOG), complicate mortgages and close doors to financial professions.
Detection techniques used by insurers
Modern tools make evasion difficult:
- Big-data analysis: patterns in claims by region or occupational group
- CIS check: verification against the central database
- Social-media screening: inconsistencies on Facebook or Instagram
- Private investigators: observation upon suspicion
- Internal fraud departments: standard at major insurers
What if you are wrongfully accused?
Insurers sometimes err. Follow these steps:
- Demand written substantiation
- Respond factually with evidence
- Instruct a lawyer immediately
- Apply to Kifid or the civil courts if the insurer persists
- Request removal from the CIS in case of erroneous registration
Tailored advice? Call the Arslan office at Verdilaan 30 in Naaldwijk (070 - 4500 300) or the Juridisch Loket Den Haag.
Closing remarks
Detection is sharper than ever. Small gains rarely outweigh years of consequences.