Staged accidents 'combated by range of measures'

Date: 3/8/2011

In order to tackle the problem of staged accidents, there are a range of measures that can be employed.

Such is the assertion of Tony Baker, Director General for the Credit Hire Organisation, who says that some of these are technological.

As all claims must be logged on a database, it is possible to tell if one name repeatedly comes up as being either involved in, perpetuating or witnessing a case.

Because these details are all mapped out on the system, should an insurance provider start to become suspicious they can choose to investigate further, Mr Baker notes.

In addition, there are various phone numbers and postcodes that have been used in attempts to make a fraudulent claim and when these come up it will immediately alert the insurer, he adds.

"Normally a staged accident has got three or four passengers [and] it's often at a roundabout. So you look for these sorts of things and you make enquiries [then] certain names appear that link up," he points out.

Recent research by moneysupermarket.com revealed that one in 20 motorists under the age of 35 have made a successful claim after inventing or staging an accident.

Posted by Sarah Bailey