Forensic scientific methods in insurance in the light of court decisions

This study aims to analyse cases of fraud and abuse encountered in the insurance sector from legal and scientific perspectives. Insurance is an important financial security mechanism that manages the risks faced by individuals and institutions. The misuse of this system leads to a loss of trust in the sector and economic losses. The main objective of this study is to examine the definition of insurance fraud, its legal dimensions, and its applications shaped by court decisions, and to reveal the forensic scientific methods used in detecting abuses. Qualitative analysis approach was adopted as the method, and content analysis was performed in light of case examples and Supreme Court decisions related to these cases. In terms of scope, the study focuses on major types of fraud, including forged policies, post-damage insurance, falsification of accident reports, and document tampering. In terms of limitations, only the Turkish legal system and publicly available court decisions have been considered. The findings reveal that insurance fraud is a systematic problem and that effective combating requires not only legal sanctions but also scientific methods such as machine learning, photogrammetry, DNA analysis, and digital tracking. In this context, the study aims to encourage cooperation between the insurance sector, law, and forensic sciences and to serve as a guide for practitioners.