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Crash for cash car insurance fraud shifts to rural locations29 Oct 2011by Hugh Bryant A major car insurer, Direct Line, has this week reported that fraudsters have shifted to use of rural locations for bogus 'crash for cash' insurance claims. The scam involves stopping suddenly at roundabouts or junctions, causing an innocent victim to crash into their vehicle and a fraudulent insurance claim then follows. Sometimes injury 
claims, especially for whiplash, are made for so-called 'phantom
passengers' that were not even in the vehicle at the time.This location change puts their victims at increased risk compared to urban settings as with the higher speeds associated with more rural locations where there is less traffic congestion, the risk of injury is increased. The top 10 crash for cash hotspots were:
The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) encourages members of the public to report suspicious accidents to them which can be done online. Even where an accident victim has no particular concerns of this nature, it is wise to get contact details of witnesses and to record names and addresses of all those present in the other vehicle or, at the very least, make a head count of those travelling in the other car. Mobile phone photographs of the extent of the damage are also helpful. If anyone is injured, there is a legal requirement to inform the police, even where injuries are minor. Clearly, where the accident could be fraudulent, it is advisable to contact the police anyway. Motor insurance providers also encourage accident victims to call them and if this is done at the accident scene, they can assist with the collection and recording of the appropriate accident data. Some car insurers now provide free apps, including Direct Line, to assist with this information gathering. The insurance industry, in conjunction with the police, is working hard to combat claims fraud, especially those organised crime gangs that can make millions from staged accident claims. Recent intitiatives have included the setting up of a new London-based Insurance Fraud Unit, the development of a new claims cheats database by the ABI that will go live early next year, and recent talks with injury lawyers that will allow them to access IFB claims data. At present, crash for cash and other fraud adds £44 to the cost of every car insurance premium and, as the cost of motoring contunues to escalate, motorists are increasingly choosing to compare car insurance quotes online via a price comparison site with many accepting a reduced level of cover to try to contain their costs. Related articles: Car insurance fraud: 4% of drivers willing to crash for cash New Whiplash Injury Toolkit (WITKit) could reduce claims fraud Insurance fraud increases by 9% London Police to set up new insurance fraud unit Car insurance fraud: An Overview 5 most common types of car insurance fraud |
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