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Are Fraudulent Whiplash Claims Costing Insurers Money?

A row has broken out between insurers and compensation claims specialists over the rising cost of car insurance. Many insurers are claiming that the services offered by no win no fee solicitors are reducing their profit margins. Solicitors have responded by asserting the rights of the victim to pursue personal injury claims, no matter how large or small. They claim that their approach is allowing the less affluent to employ litigation that they would not otherwise have access to. However, according to figures released by the UK’s Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), there may be another culprit to consider.

A recent study by the IFB has revealed that undetected fraudulent insurance claims total around £1.9 billion per year; the equivalent of adding a further £44 to each and every individual policyholder’s bill in the UK. The IFB has been set up by insurers to detect fraudulent insurance claims and to disrupt the activities of those involved by taking co-ordinated action. The public is also able to report suspected fraud and, in 2009, the IFB’s ‘Cheatline’ received 1,859 calls. However, the organisation believes this figure to merely the tip of the iceberg.

A complex crime

According to the IFB, insurance fraud is becoming increasingly complex. ‘Induced motor accidents’ are an example of organised fraud, in which an innocent motorist is forced to crash into the back of the fraudster’s vehicle. Claims are then made against the innocent motorist, and these often including accounts of fictitious injuries such as whiplash from gang members, some of whom may not even have been involved in the accident. In many cases these criminal gangs have bogus claims running with numerous insurers at the same time.

Once a claim has been submitted - legitimately or otherwise - it then becomes a very expensive process and it is this that eats into the insurer’s profits. Once a claim is received, a claims adjuster is employed to evaluate its validity and to find out who is at fault. In the case of car accidents, this normally includes the review of vehicle impacts and photos, police reports and statements from each driver. Where a claim for an injury is included, they will also look at statements from GPs and medical professionals to evaluate the level of injury sustained. The claims adjuster then uses all of this information to determine if any motor vehicle laws were broken and who caused the accident. It is a process that can take a few days or a few years depending on how complicated the accident was.

Other claims, which are possibly more common, include fraudulent whiplash claims. Whiplash is a spinal condition caused by the soft muscles along the spine being forced in opposite directions, often as the result of an impact. Whiplash can be difficult to diagnose and, consequently, is an attractive condition for those looking to make fraudulent personal injury claims.

However, when it comes to insurance fraud, the people who suffer the most are the innocent policyholders. The actions of a dishonest minority can have important financial ramifications for the rest of us who abide by the law. It can also severely impact on those making a genuine compensation claim for whiplash, reinforcing the myth that claiming for whiplash is an ‘easy way to make a fast buck’. If this is to be reversed, a harder line has to be taken on those making fraudulent claims, particularly by the courts.

You Need To Know More Vital Information About Whiplash?

For more vital information that you really should know please download our free Essential Guide To Whiplash. It will tell you:

• What "No Win No Fee" really means and how to ensure you do not get caught out
• Whether a Claims Company or a Solicitor is the right choice for you
• What does it mean if you have Legal Expense Insurance (and do you have to use the solicitor that they tell you too if you do not want to)?
• How to obtain private treatment for your injuries at no cost to you
• How to quickly obtain a replacement car or motorcycle if you need to
• Why accepting an offer directly from the other driver's insurance company could cost you thousands of pounds and lead to longterm injury problems

There is no cost so please complete your details below now and we will immediately send you the guide.

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What If I Could Not Avoid The Accident?

Read our guide explaining what to do following an accident "Road Accident and Injury Claim Guide"

Have You Suffered A Whiplash Injury?

If you would like 1stClaims’ expert Whiplash Solicitors on your side please call us free on 0800 2888 693 or complete our Free Claim Enquiry form now and we will be in touch with you very soon.

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