Birmingham is the country’s “crash for cash” capital, with Coventry, Leeds, Bradford, Oldham, Luton and parts of London also making the top ten.
Car insurers Aviva detected more than 3,000 organised crash for cash claimants last year – the equivalent of one every three hours. It said one in every four of these claims happened in Birmingham.
The figures include induced accidents, where fraudsters deliberately target innocent motorists to claim whiplash compensation, as well as staged accidents, when two damaged cars are brought together to make it look like an accident.
Aviva said induced accident numbers remain “worryingly” close to record levels seen in 2014, with the number of cases falling by just 2% in 2015.
Meanwhile, there has been a dramatic 40% year-on-year fall in staged accidents.
Motor fraud remains the largest type of fraud detected, representing 60% of all claims fraud with a value of £58 million.
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The problem is so prominent in some areas of Birmingham that they could rank as individual cities Credit: ITV News Central
The worst postcode in the country for induced accidents is B11, which, taken on its own, would rank as the third worst city in the UK for crash for cash, highlighting how concentrated the problem is in some parts of Birmingham.
There are also problem pockets in particular areas. For example, WR5 (Worcester) and LE3 (Leicester) all feature in the top postcodes for crash for cash. This could indicate that the problem is moving to new areas, and shows that crash for cash is not confined to just a handful of locations.
Induced accidents now account for nearly half of all organised motor fraud we detect.
Crash for cash does not just push up premiums for genuine customers, it puts innocent motorists at risk. It is also a significant drain on scarce public resources such as ambulance, police and A&E time, all of which are wasted on these entirely bogus claims.
We urge motorists to remain alert to induced accidents, especially in those areas where we know this is a problem.”
– TOM GARDINER, HEAD OF FRAUD AT AVIVA
If you’re worried about being a victim of ‘cash for crash’ here is some advice:
Keep a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front
Fraudsters target roundabouts and slip roads to induce accidents. Be especially vigilant in these areas, allowing plenty of space.
There are frequently two cars involved in inducing an accident – the car directly in front and the car in front of that car as well. Both may drive erratically.
Check the brake lights. A common trait in many vehicles involved in crash for cash is the failure of the vehicle’s brake lights. If you notice the car in front brakes and their lights do not work, remain cautious.
Is the car in front moving particularly slowly or is it slowing down and speeding up for no apparent reason? If the driver in front is focusing on the back of the vehicle, that could be a sign they are looking for an opportunity to induce an accident.
The top 10 ‘crash for cash’ locations are:
1 – Birmingham
2 – North London
3 – East London
4 – Leeds
5 – Harrow
6 – North West London
7 – Bradford
8 – Luton
9 – Coventry
10 – Oldham
Credit to: http://www.iloveclaims.com/motor-insurance/birmingham-tops-crash-for-cash-insurance-scam-list/
