A motor policyholder whose car was damaged in a drag race will not be covered for his loss after he was found to have fraudulently misled his insurer.  

The claimant told Suncorp his car was smashed in March 2024 after he lost control in wet weather and hit a guard rail.

He provided images of the damage but there was no indication when the photos were taken.  

Suncorp’s investigator linked the damage to a drag race the car was involved in six months earlier.

A video recording showed the vehicle being driven by another person, who crashed it into a concrete retaining wall.

The claimant said he repaired the car after the November 2023 crash, but he failed to provide supporting documentation.  

Suncorp also noted the vehicle was not roadworthy due to front tyre modifications used for drag racing.  

It said if the car was damaged as asserted by the claimant, the modifications would probably have contributed to his inability to retain control in wet conditions.

In fact, weather records for the date and location given by the claimant showed no rain.  

In a dispute ruling, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority accepts the damage did not occur as described by the claimant.

It says he had a motive to misrepresent the circumstances, because the insurer had previously warned his policy would not cover damage sustained during drag racing.

“There are anomalies in the information provided by the complainant that have not been properly explained,” AFCA said. “When the information is considered, it raises significant doubt as to the circumstances that have led to the loss.”  

See the ruling here.