Aviva detected more than 105,000 fraudulent insurance applications in 2025, with a growing proportion of this activity linked to ghost broking. The insurer confirmed the number of ghost-brokered policies identified rose by 7% year-on-year, following on from an 18% hike in 2024. In November, Aviva demanded tougher enforcement, stronger penalties and better education to crack down on ghost broking (See Below).
Ghost broking
Last week, aggregator CompareNI urged motorists to look out for the telltale signs of ghost broking as it revealed the results of a survey showing 49% of Northern Ireland drivers admitting they could not spot a fake insurance policy.
The Financial Conduct Authority warned 17–25-year-olds about ghost broking scams last month, as its research found half of young drivers had bought insurance through social media or messaging apps.
In March, Synectics Solutions reported the number of victims of motor insurance ghost broking scams leapt by 93% in 2025. It detailed that victims were predominantly male (70%), aged 50–65 (62%), and often in lower-premium postcodes, which Synectics stated demonstrated deliberate targeting.
According to a poll by Ageas, released in August, just one in 10 adults aged 55+ had heard of ghost brokers. It noted while awareness of ghost broking was particularly low among older adults, it was better in the cohort of 18–24-year-olds where almost one in five knew of it.
Looking at the wider picture, across all Aviva brands, including for the first time Direct Line, more than 18,400 suspect claims worth £233m were uncovered in 2025 – or £638,000 of fraud detected every day. Motor Drilling into its Aviva general insurance business data and setting Direct Line aside, the provider listed that motor continued to account for the majority of fraudulent claims – more than seven in 10 of the cases uncovered.
Motor Drilling into its Aviva general insurance business data and setting Direct Line aside, the provider listed that motor continued to account for the majority of fraudulent claims – more than seven in 10 of the cases uncovered. However, it noted the nature of scams is evolving and cited fraudsters are increasingly moving away from staged collisions and towards exaggerated claims for vehicle damage, repair costs, credit hire and injury. In turn, the value of detected motor fraud rose by 39%, as Aviva identified more high-value attempts to inflate claims.
Professional enablers According to the provider, there was a similar pattern in liability insurance. While case volumes remained broadly stable, the value of bogus claims detected increased by 32%, driven by exaggerated loss of earnings, rehabilitation costs and injury claims. Aviva reported seeing a growing role for ‘professional enablers’. The insurer explained they attach themselves to claims and contribute to inflating costs but highlighted the activity “is increasingly being identified and challenged”.
Unscrupulous Fraud in Aviva’s home insurance book was also up last year, by 15%. The firm analysed that fraud was often hidden within otherwise legitimate claims detailing that customers exaggerate damage, repairs or contents values – resulting in entire claims being rejected once fraud is uncovered.
As in other lines, Aviva warned ‘professional enablers’ are increasingly involved in property claims and hit out at a “growing number of claims involving a small number of unscrupulous loss assessors who are inflating repair costs, contents values and scopes of work”. The breakdown of the overall fraud numbers came with a rise in the travel insurance sector, with Aviva citing drivers such as cases including exaggerated medical or cancellation claims. These, it said, were sometimes supported by documentation submitted after the event that did not “withstand detailed scrutiny”.
