Vet nurse in the doghouse after £13,334 pet scam

An investigation by the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (Ifed) and insurer Allianz has resulted in a veterinary nurse being sentenced for making £13,334 worth of fraudulent pet insurance claims.

The case involved Henfield-based Gemma Cole, 31, who was employed as a veterinary nurse in West Sussex. Cole owns three cats and three dogs that are insured with Petplan and Pets at Home, which are subsidiaries of Allianz.

In May 2023, the head veterinary nurse at Cole’s workplace contacted Allianz to report that Cole had allegedly been using Vet Envoy, the system the practice used to submit insurance claims, to make false and exaggerated claims for her pets between December 2018 to May 2023.

This included using other staff members’ Vet Envoy accounts to add entries to her pets’ clinical records or prescribe medication.

Upon investigation, Allianz found that Cole had claimed for £13,334 worth of medication and treatments. These claim payouts were made to the veterinary surgery where she worked, with surplus money credited to Cole’s account and used to pay for treatments that were not covered under her insurance policies.

In June 2023, Allianz referred this case to Ifed. Shortly after – in October 2023 – Ifed officers searched Cole’s home and found a large quantity of pet medication that had been dispensed as a result of the fraudulent claims.

Enforcement action

In July 2024, Cole pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates Court to fraud by abuse of position.

As a result, she was sentenced on 29 August 2024 at Lewes Crown Court to eight months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. Cole must also complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Ben Fletcher, director of financial crime at Allianz Personal, said: “Allianz is committed to protecting our customers and business against the harms of fraud.

”While the vast majority of our customers and claims are genuine, we work diligently to ensure that all claims are legitimate. In cases where they are not, we will carefully investigate and robustly defend where we suspect fraud.

”This case highlights the importance of honesty and showcases the collaborative efforts of our teams and Ifed in ensuring that those who attempt to benefit through deceit are appropriately addressed.”

Richard Fox, detective constable at Ifed, added: “Cole exploited her access to her employer’s systems for over four years to receive insurance payouts that she wasn’t entitled to.

”Submitting claims on insurance that you have deliberately exaggerated is fraud and Cole will now rightly have to face the consequence of having a criminal record.”