united-states insurance car-insurance
Is it insurance fraud to intentionally let your car be stolen?
<p>Suppose someone wants to &quot;sell&quot; a car but nobody will buy it. The owner has an insurance policy that covers theft. Is it legal for the owner to intentionally leave it unlocked in a high-crime area with the keys in the car, then file an insurance claim when someone steals it? This is similar to <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/17193/leave-your-car-unlocked-with-a-please-steal-me-sign-in-window-to-collect-insur">another question</a>, but without the overt invitation to steal the car.</p>
<p>I'm not going to do this; I'm just curious if it's possible.</p>

<h2>Yes it is</h2>
<p>You have a duty to take reasonable precautions to protect your property. This is almost always explicit but it’s also implicit given your duty of utmost good faith in insurance contracts.</p>
<p>Failing to do so can be negligent, such as occasionally leaving the keys in the car - this is not fraud and is usually covered by the policy. Acting deliberately, by intentionally leaving the keys in the car and the car unlocked is fraud - it’s not covered and it is a crime if you do it with the intent of causing the insurer loss. Being reckless, like always leaving your car unlocked, would invalidate the policy but is not fraud.</p>
