Criminals Cash in on Unsuspecting Drivers
Crashing for cash. You may have heard this term used in the news recently, as it is now a crime that is rife all across Britain. What is more worrying, is that many drivers have considered this course of action to earn a few extra quid.
Research by moneysupermarket.com, shows that one in twenty motorists under 35 have confessed to having ‘staged’ an accident and claimed on the other drivers insurance successfully. More worryingly, 1.7–million of all motorists would actually consider staging a motor accident themselves, to claim on their insurance.
Young Drivers and single mothers are the most likely to be targeted as they are less likely to ‘create a fuss’ or cause problems. Once the victim has admitted responsibility (usually under extreme pressure) the fraudsters will launch ‘bogus’ personal injury claims for themselves and often ‘fictional’ additional passengers.
What is a ‘Crash for Cash’ scam?
The insurance industry has separated this type of motor insurance fraud into three categorise, these are:
- ‘Staged’ motor accidents, were two vehicles deliberately knock into each other in order to claim on insurance.
- ‘Contrived’ motor accidents are a fabricated claim for a motor incident that never took place.
- ‘Induced’motor accidents are a deliberate action by a motorist to force an innocent driver to crash into them, such as braking suddenly so they are hit from behind.
The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) estimates around 30,000 accidents are staged each year, with the average claim totalling around £17,000. It cost insurers about £350million in 2009, adding £44 to the premium of every driver in the country.
Coming to a Town near you…
Here are the Top 20 towns and cities this fraud has been rife in, so far this year (2010).
| 1. | Birmingham | 11. | Sheffield |
| 2. | Liverpool | 12. | Uxbridge |
| 3. | Blackburn | 13. | Nottingham |
| 4. | Manchester | 14. | Warrington |
| 5. | Leeds | 15. | Stockport |
| 6. | London east | 16. | Harrow |
| 7. | Oldham | 17. | Leicester |
| 8. | Bradford | 18. | Chester |
| 9. | London north | 19. | Enfield |
| 10. | Bolton | 20. | Wakefield |
Be Vigilant and Stay Safe
It can be a terrifying ordeal if you are targeted by fraudsters in this way. If you feel as though you have been involved in a crash for cash scam, the first thing to do is stay calm and don’t get angry. Never accept liability and, if possible record photographs of the other driver and any other passengers in the car.
It is not uncommon for the fraudster to create ‘fictional’ passengers in order to claim more, due to personal injury. Take as much detail as possible about the vehicles involved and any damage caused.
Contact your insurer and explain to them what happened and how you believe it was a ‘staged’ traffic accident. The insurance company will have a team to investigate the accident and bring these fraudsters to justice.
The best advice when on the road is the same as you were taught by your driving instructor. Always be aware and vigilant. Keep enough distance between you and the car in front and never eat, drink or use your mobile at the wheel. It is these bad habits that fraudsters will look out for when driving, and will be keen to put the blame directly on you, so their payout is even greater.
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This page was last updated
Thursday, 03-Feb-2011
Criminals Cash in on Unsuspecting Drivers
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