Police make crash for cash arrests

West Yorkshire police have made three arrests in connection with vehicle insurance scams called crash for cash.

In a ten-month collaboration with the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), Keighley police have so far made 22 arrests for fraudulent motor accident claims, that would have been worth several hundred thousand pounds, with a further 16 cautions handed out for lesser fraud offences.

Of the latest three people to be arrested, one a 57 yr old man was a self-employed vehicle inspector who was working with the gangs to defraud insurance companies.

The number of gangs operating in the UK has grown over the last few years. In 2003 it was thought that there were only four gangs, by 2006 it had grown ten fold to 40 gangs. And what had started in the north of the UK is now spreading south with gangs reported in Luton and Milton Keynes.

As the number of gangs increase so does the number of incidents. Since 1999 22,600 crash for cash incidents have been reported, the insurance industry now expects to see the same number of fraudulent claims in just the next two years.

It is thought that this type of fraud is costing insurance companies in the region of £2 billion a year. This in turn is costing respectable drivers an extra £40 on the average insurance policy.

Anyone thinking that they have been the victim of crash for cash can call the IFB confidential hotline on 0800 328 2550.

News brought to you by insuremyvehicle.co.uk

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