Recession and dodgy insurance claims.

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Fri 11 Jul 2008 18:51
Recession and dodgy insurance claims. - 3D Engineers
Worked arranging motor insurance in the early 90's and can remember loads of cars being stolen, as owners could not sell them and it was the only way of getting decent cash for the vehicle.........in theory.

It had occurred to me that this time round this could not happen as immobilisers are so good, bar getting a mate to knock you around in a fake key snatch or a pretend burglary on your house with the car being torched afterwards, not much could be done to fake claims on a wide scale.

But no - HJ news reports that someone has faked his car falling off a cliff (the faking being it was supposed to be accidental) and lots of other dodginess is occurring as people struggle with debt.

Interesting times at insurance company claims depts.

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Fri 11 Jul 2008 19:44
Recession and dodgy insurance claims. - Lud
How interesting. The insurance industry could quite easily compile a sort of national index of moral health, broken down by region and weighted for minor paradigm-slippage......

:o}

Edited by Lud on 11/07/2008 at 19:45

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Fri 11 Jul 2008 20:39
Recession and dodgy insurance claims. - Ian (Cape Town)
We all pay, as shysters try it on with insurers.
A few local examples:
* More Rayban sunglasses have been paid out for than have ever been imported into South Africa.
* EVERY motorist who has a car break-in in Durban had a leather jacket in the car. For those who don't know, Durban reaches about 30 degrees and humid as a sauna from November to April.
* A friend who is an ex national swimmer and navy diver - now in the insurance business - had a claim for stolen diving equipment, after a diver had his car broken into while he was out in the water.
Said insurance man also insures local sports shop. Got the list of stuff which had been nicked... about three times as much volume as would fit into the car!

Being honest helps - after my last burglary I got paid out within 4 days, with no penalty. That after 10 years of no claims, except for one car window (burglary attempt) where I claimed ONLY for glass, and NOT for non-existent camera, radio, raybans, toolkit, jacket etc etc etc etc etc etc
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