Road users are possessing their lives put at threat by unscrupulous criminals who stage accidents so that they can make fraudulent insurance coverage claims.
That’s the shocking image painted by the most recent fraudulent claims information from insurer Aviva.
It shows that the number of crashes caused deliberately (so that those involved could make insurance coverage claims for whiplash injuries) shot up by 51% last year – costing the sector far more than £10 million and pushing the price tag of cover up for all drivers.
Aviva says it has more than 6,000 motor injury claims linked to organised fraud activity. It desires stronger sentences to deter the fraudsters behind these avoidable crashes, referred to as “slam-ons”.
Stronger sentences
Tom Gardiner, head of claims fraud at Aviva, stated: “Stronger sentences will deter would-be fraudsters and assist to hold roads safer and premiums reduced for customers.”
The sharp increase in deliberate accidents does not just have an effect on your insurance coverage premiums, it also compromises your security – and that of your loved ones – even though travelling on UK roads.
Tragically, at least one motorist has currently been killed as a result of getting caught up in an accident deliberately caused by fraudsters.
And Aviva is worried that a lot more people will drop their lives if “slam-on” fraudsters are permitted to hold obtaining away with it.
Induced accidents
“The quick development of induced accidents on our roads is cause for serious concern,” Gardiner stated.
“Fraudsters are prepared to put the security of innocent motorists’ and their households and passengers at danger for their personal individual obtain.”
Deliberately staged accidents also divert public services such as police vehicles and ambulances away from those in genuine want.
And the travel disruption and delay that ensues in the wake of an occasion has obvious knock-on effects for enterprise efficiency and personal convenience.
Preventing fraudulent claims
Fraudulent insurance claims involving deliberate crashes are not the only ones becoming far more common.
Figures from the Association of British Insurers show that the total number of dishonest insurance coverage claims in 2013 jumped 34% to 59,000 and expense insurers £811 million.
This enhance is 1 purpose the Ministry of Justice plans to tackle the so-referred to as compensation culture of “ambulance-chasing” lawyers and bogus whiplash claims by giving new powers to courts.
Under the proposals, courts will be able to throw out compensation actions exactly where claimants have been dishonest, and insurers will be in a position to use improved health-related assessments to weed out inaccurate whiplash claims.
Solicitors and other claims farmers will also be banned from offering accident victims incentives such as funds or iPads to encourage them to make a claim.
Influence on premiums
The aim of the Ministry of Justice’s plans is to lessen insurance fraud and cut the cost of premiums for sincere buyers.
Even although typical premiums have dropped by about £100 a year not too long ago, they could be a lot reduce if insurers paid out less for fraudulent claims.
We will, of course, have to wait and see how much of an influence the new guidelines have if and when they come in.
Post-crash costs
However, the good news for drivers is that the Competition and Markets Authority is also organizing to introduce measures developed to preserve premiums down.
These consist of a cap on the quantity at-fault insurers have to pay out for courtesy vehicles for innocent parties, which at the moment push premiums up by as significantly as £180 million a year.
The CMA will announce concrete proposals in September following a period of consultation over the summer time
Deliberate crashes force up your premiums
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