A veterinary nurse has been sentenced to eight months in prison for fraudulently claiming over £13,000 in insurance payouts for her pets, exploiting her position at her workplace to carry out the scheme.
Gemma Cole, 31, from Henfield, West Sussex, was employed as a veterinary nurse at a local surgery and held insurance policies for her three cats and three dogs through Petplan and Pets at Home, both subsidiaries of Allianz Insurance. From December 2018 to May 2023, Cole submitted fraudulent claims against these policies using her access to her employer’s systems.
Following an investigation by the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), Cole pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position on July 2, 2024, at Crawley Magistrates Court. On August 29, Lewes Crown Court sentenced her to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and imposed a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
“Cole exploited her access to her employer’s systems for over four years to receive insurance payouts that she wasn’t entitled to,” stated Detective Constable Richard Fox from IFED. “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.”
The fraudulent activity came to light in May 2023 when the head veterinary nurse at the practice reported suspicions to Allianz. It was revealed that Cole had been using Vet Envoy, the facility’s insurance claim submission system, to file false claims. She frequently used the accounts of other staff members to add fraudulent entries to her pets’ clinical records and prescribe medication.
An investigation by Allianz uncovered that Cole had fraudulently claimed £13,334 worth of medication and treatments. Allianz referred the case to IFED in June 2023, leading to a search of Cole’s home in October, where a large amount of pet medication (pictured above) obtained through fraudulent claims was discovered.
Ben Fletcher, director of financial crime at Allianz Personal, commented: “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.”
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