Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)--Fraudulent fire insurance claims involving employees of Tama Home Co. allegedly occurred at multiple branches of the Japanese housing maker, people familiar with the matter said Thursday.

The allegations emerged during an investigation by nonlife insurance companies working with Tama Home. The housing maker has said that the misconduct happened at its branch in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan.

A Tama Home official said that an internal investigation is underway at the company's 236 branches across Japan. The investigation is led by its headquarters to get a full picture of the matter, the official said.

The fraudulent claims are estimated to total several tens of millions of yen in several hundred cases. The insurance firms are also calling for an investigation by a third-party body.

This week, Tama Home was found to have fraudulently filed insurance claims by using the same photographs as proofs to request insurance payouts over fires in the past.

Tama Home headquarters in Tokyo

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]