In a report released Sept. 9, the NICB, a trade group for the insurance industry that monitors fraud, said that roughly 41,600 “questionable claims” were reported by insurance companies in the first half of 2009, compared with 36,700 in the first half of 2008 — a 13 percent increase.

In particular, suspicious car fire claims were up 20 percent, suspicious auto glass claims shot up 76 percent and questionable product liability claims ballooned by 90 percent.