Third of people willing to lie on insurance forms

Over a third of people are prepared to stretch the truth on their insurance forms in order to reduce their premium, a study by Zurich has found.

The report also found that people were willing to lie about specific information, and that women were the most likely to lie about things such as their health, drinking habits and weight.

However, Phil Brown, head of protection and underwriting for Zurich UK Life, said that this could be a false economy, as any incorrect information given could render a policy void.

“Failing to disclose all information at the application stage could have disastrous consequences in the long term when a future claim is rendered invalid,” he said.

The survey also found that three quarters of those surveyed believe that insurers try to avoid paying insurance claims. And fewer than one in five believe insurers care about their customers.