The Insurance Fraud Bureau estimates that around 30,000 crash for cash incidents were staged in 2009, costing insurers around £350 million. Crash for cash incidents are where the fraudster brakes suddenly, usually using the handbrake so there are no warning lights, on a roundabout or clear road causing the car behind to rear end shunt them. Then a claim is made for personal injury as it is generally accepted that the driver making the rear end shunt is to blame. In some cases, claims have been made for passengers who were not in the car at the time of the incident.
Crash for cash incidents were largely confined to Liverpool, Blackburn, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and London. Fraudsters staging these incidents tend to select drivers who are single parents or elderly and drivers of commercial vehicles.
Drivers can protect themselves by not admitting or accepting liability for the accident and taking photographs of the cars and the driver and any passengers in the other vehicle involved. Mobile phone photographs are fine for this. Draw a sketch of the road where the incident took place and the paths of the vehicles involved as soon as possible while your memory’s still fresh. If the driver who caused the accident becomes abusive, phone and report the incident to the police.
