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It is not just motorists who are looking to pull of insurance scams UK home owners, short of money owing to the credit crunch are being tempted to make false home insurance claims. According to a survey from price comparison site moneysupermarket.com, many confessed they had already successfully faked claims!

The survey shows that one in 20 Brits would consider making a false claim on their home insurance. Of these, more than 1.2 million people blame the credit crunch for their dishonesty and say the recession has made them contemplate this route. Worryingly, a fifth of these people have already defrauded their home insurer by successfully making a false insurance claim.

The research reveals those in their twenties are the most likely to fake a claim, with one in six 20 to 29 year-olds admitting they have thought about swindling their home insurer.

Julie Owens, head of home insurance at moneysupermarket.com, said: "Our survey shows that many consumers believe it is acceptable to make a false or exaggerated claim on their home insurance. No matter how tempting, fabricating a claim for a pay out is not only wholly inadvisable but it is also illegal, and you could face being prosecuted as a result. The recession has certainly affected us all but faking a home insurance claim isn't the way to make ends meet. Perhaps they feel that their dishonesty only impacts the insurer and as such it does no real harm.”

Of course the reality is that every false claim sends premium rates higher across the board so it is by no means a case of ‘no harm done’. Insurance companies are also intent on stamping out false claims and will act severely if their investigations uncover wrongdoing. Hefty fines and, in extreme cases, imprisonment await those who inadvisedly try and hoodwink their insurance company.