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Why do insurance companies make it so easy for people to make fraudulent insurance claims?
I was interested in the letter from JL, of Coldstream. I too had a collision with another vehicle, although I was sideswiped and rubber was exchanged from the front offside bumper of my Ford KA and the rear nearside bumper of the other party’s BMW 5 Series. After discussions at the scene it was decided that the rubber would polish out, and we exchanged telephone numbers just in case. Next day I got a call from the other party claiming it would cost me £140 to put his vehicle right, which I declined. He then said he would take it to his “friend” who has a bodyshop for another look, later returning to me and claiming it would now cost £260.
At this stage I informed my insurer and was very shocked at the result. After a 16-minute telephone call that was structured in such a way with leading questions it would appear that the decision was made that as I was at fault, they would accept liability. I didn’t know any of this until I telephoned again two weeks later, wondering where the claims form was and having collected photographic evidence of signposts, speed limits, bends in the road, etc., as well as writing down what happened and drawing a map. Following several letters back and forth, I gave up, until I got my renewal notice.
I had been penalised three years' NCD, which doubled my premium. When I complained I was informed that the collision had cost £906 so far and that they were waiting for a claim to be established for “soft tissue damage and whiplash” which because of the speed, size of the cars, type of collision and the way the two occupants were hopping about trying to blame me at the scene would logically seem to be impossible. I explained this to my insurance company as this was an obvious case of fraud and all they would comment is that if an “independent” doctor confirms injury there is nothing they can do. So I do wonder if it is not the insurance companies and the way that they conduct their business that are at fault by making it easy, when we seem to be blaming accident management companies, no win, no fee lawyers and the fraudsters for increasing the cost of motor insurance.
At this stage I informed my insurer and was very shocked at the result. After a 16-minute telephone call that was structured in such a way with leading questions it would appear that the decision was made that as I was at fault, they would accept liability. I didn’t know any of this until I telephoned again two weeks later, wondering where the claims form was and having collected photographic evidence of signposts, speed limits, bends in the road, etc., as well as writing down what happened and drawing a map. Following several letters back and forth, I gave up, until I got my renewal notice.
I had been penalised three years' NCD, which doubled my premium. When I complained I was informed that the collision had cost £906 so far and that they were waiting for a claim to be established for “soft tissue damage and whiplash” which because of the speed, size of the cars, type of collision and the way the two occupants were hopping about trying to blame me at the scene would logically seem to be impossible. I explained this to my insurance company as this was an obvious case of fraud and all they would comment is that if an “independent” doctor confirms injury there is nothing they can do. So I do wonder if it is not the insurance companies and the way that they conduct their business that are at fault by making it easy, when we seem to be blaming accident management companies, no win, no fee lawyers and the fraudsters for increasing the cost of motor insurance.
Asked on 21 September 2013 by CC, Atherstone, Warks
Answered by
Honest John
If it's going to cost them £10,000 to fight a fraudulent claim in court and £3000 to settle out of court out of which they get a commission, that's what they do. And that's why a parasitic business has sprung up feeding from this. The insurers don't care because the policyholders ultimately pay, but it would make more sense for an honest insurer (if there is one) to spend £20,000 fighting a case to appeal and getting a ruling that would end this ridiculous situation.
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