Crash for cash and injury compensation claims

It is a regrettable fact of life that accidents happen, with road traffic accidents the most common. A day that started off as a normal day, driving back home from work or the shops, can change in an instant, with potentially severe consequences.

But, looking a little closer, not all accidents are what they seem; insurance fraud is at a record high of 1.3 billion, or to put another way, an astonishing 2,279 claims per week are suspected of being bogus or exaggerated. “Crash for cash” schemes are helping to contribute to these figures. This occurs when fraudsters stage a car crash, slamming on their brakes having disabled their brakes lights, causing an unsuspecting innocent motorist to crash into the back of their car. This can happen at junctions, traffic lights, roundabouts, or perhaps more scarily, has been known to happen on fast moving dual carriageways. Fraudsters will often target women driving on their own or with young children.

No thought is given by these fraudsters to the innocent individual involved in the crash. This victim is likely to lose their no claims bonus, may have to pay out to repair their vehicle, and worst of all, may be injured as a result. All drivers suffer from the actions of these fraudsters, having to pay increased insurance premiums as a result.

Save for the perhaps excessive step of driving around with a camera, extra vigilance at junctions and roundabouts can reduce your chances of been involved. But help is at hand, the police and insurance companies have started to invest heavily to combat these fraudsters. A specialist police unit, the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department has reported 85 successful prosecutions since it was established in 2011. So for fraudsters the likelihood of prosecution is increasing.

Genuine claimants should take professional advice about making an injury compensation claim, preferably from a member of Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

Contact: Paul Finn