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Most motorists avoid crashes if they can help it but not everyone! Some stage car crashes as an easy way to con money out of innocent drivers and insurance companies 

The problem, known as ‘cash for crash’ is becoming widespread. According to the Associations of British Insurers, up to 2,000 bogus incidents are reported each week.

Not surprisingly motor insurance specialists are stressing the need for the public awareness of these clever scams.  

According to motor fleet insurance specialists Catlin, crash for cash fraudsters are well drilled in staging what look like genuine collisions with their vehicles being hit from behind. The innocent motorist often believes they are in the wrong and have been driving too close to the car in front and not braked soon enought. The reality is they have been the victim of a set up. The upshot is that the innocent driver’s insurance company that has to shell out, their no claims bonus might be lost and their premiums are liable to increase.  

In a typical 'crash for cash' incident, the fraudulent driver will brake suddenly when driving off a motorway junction or entering onto a roundabout, causing the vehicle behind to strike them in the rear. Often the vehicles being used in such incidents have the brake lights disabled so that the following driver has no warning to slow down.

Frequently there is more than one driver involved in a scam. A second vehicle often cuts across the vehicle of his accomplice. This gives the impression to the innocent driver that the vehicle in front had a reason to jam on its brakes and therefore reduces suspicion.  

According to Catlin, these staged incidents can be very difficult to detect and often things only come to light when the fraudulent details do not tie up with the innocent claimant’s version of events.

Ron Spore a motor fleet insurance underwriter at Catlin believes now is the time for action against fraudsters. "As an insurer, we believe that it is important to manage the behaviour of 'our' driver at the scene of an accident. If the victim of a fraudulent claim is aware what they should do following an accident, the size of the claim can be contained and the fraud can be more easily identified." 

Catlin has put together a list of measures that honest drivers can follow to help identify potential fraudulent claims. 

Anti Fraud Checklist

• Insist on full contact details for the third party including land line telephone number and insurance details. 
• Obtain vehicle make/model/registration number. 
• Accurately record damage sustained in the accident and any pre-existing damage. 
• Obtain names of passengers in the vehicle, and where they were sitting when the incident happened. Note any injuries sustained if any. 
• Provide the insurer with details of any suspicious circumstances, for instance sudden braking for no apparent reason. Was the car parked illegally or on a bend?  
• If possible, (maybe camera on mobile phone) obtain a photograph of the vehicle damage and record the position of both vehicles immediately following the collision and any debris on the road. Check the registration plate front and rear. 
• Observe the driver and passengers behaviour, are they over friendly/aggressive/impatient? 
• If you have any doubts about the incident, report it to the police.