Uptowngirl Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 The average motor insurance policy costs an extra £90/year to pay from whiplash claims. Whilst the number of accidents has fallen 20% over the last decade the number of whiplash claims has increased by 60%, many of them fraudulent. On top of a hefty increase in premiums to cover uninsured drivers our policies are further inflated to cover for fraudulent whiplash claims and fake accidents. What can be done to reduce this? http://www.newsrt.co.uk/news/whiplash-injury-claims-targeted-after-60-rise-in-just-four-years-pushes-car-insurance-premiums-90-higher-1049485.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shef_Fitness Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Its becoming a vicious circle, people seem to putting claims for whiplash in order to be able to afford the following years insurance premium. I'd imagine for anyone who is completely dependant on a vehicle (luckily I'm not) the temptation to get a few thousand pounds must be getting harder to resist. The last time I had normal work (when I commuted to Manchester) in 2009 my insurance was £450, yet in 2010 I was quoted £1200, simply because of the fact I was commuting to work. I accept that there are price comparision websites, but still, before 2010 insurance premiums didn't double just because you commuted to get to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obelix Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I've always communted and there was never that much of a jump, in fact my insurance rates have been quite flat and steady for the last five years or so, despite moving up about six insurance groups when I changed cars. ---------- Post added 11-12-2012 at 14:13 ---------- What can be done to reduce this? http://www.newsrt.co.uk/news/whiplash-injury-claims-targeted-after-60-rise-in-just-four-years-pushes-car-insurance-premiums-90-higher-1049485.html Fit a dashcam recorder in your car. When you get a fraudenlent claim made against you, the video will let your insurers determine if it's actually a real one or a group of five people, four of whom were never in the car trying it on.... They cost about £40 for a basic but good enough model. Well worth it IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L00b Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 What can be done to reduce this?Currently, there does not appear to be any adverse consequence to a claim being discovered as false - or that it at least the common perception, so everybody and their dog has a go on the flimsiest of circumstances. A few criminal prosecutions for fraud against the 'chancers', with exemplary sentences (small bit of actual clink time) and enough drumming about it in the broadsheets, should do the best part of the trick. Like Pavlov's dogs, really. People need to be reminded that it's not nice to lie, and that there can be consequences to the act. I'm surprised insurers haven't pushed for more of this...or are they happy making more from leaving the situation as is, and crying crocodile tears in the media? Hmmm...you do have to wonder. For best effect, sprinkle a bit of professional negligence claims against ambulance chasers putting claim cases through without much in the way of evidence or due diligence (as they do). With whiplash, the situation seems to have effectively got to the stage where ACS Law (and others) were with their "pay-up-or-be-sued" letters against P2P filesharers. A seemingly unstoppable money-making machine, with no real cause or foundation if you bother to scratch the surface enough. Incoming changes to the legal profession (effective Jan 2013) should hopefully start to curb the no-win no-fee culture, which has propelled the problem to no end. Reminds me that I should have called back a lady from BBC Radio Sheffield to discuss a case I was involved with a couple of years ago or so, and never did - if you are reading this (Nicola, was it?), I apologise profusely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
top4718 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I had a ridiculous claim a few years ago where my car lightly (and I mean lightly) touched the vehicle in front, my car was quite dirty at the time and the “impact” didn’t even disturb the muck. The next thing I know both driver and passenger had put a whiplash claim in, ludicrous. Not sure if they ever got a payout as it was through company insurance but it really was pathetic and makes a mockery of the insurance system and subsequent costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJRB Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Allowing for the fact that there are genuine accidents,and genuine injuries there is one enormous racket going off here on an industrial scale. This includes insurance companies who sell details of claimants ,the quasi legal advisers who then encourage or pester individuals to make a claim and doctors who get a fee for providing medical evidence. Those with a criminal bent take advantage and those without a very strong morality are encouraged to cash in. I don't know what the answer is but I hope that one is found Everybody who pays insurance picks up the tab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L00b Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I had a ridiculous claim a few years ago where my car lightly (and I mean lightly) touched the vehicle in front, my car was quite dirty at the time and the “impact” didn’t even disturb the muck. The next thing I know both driver and passenger had put a whiplash claim in, ludicrous. Not sure if they ever got a payout as it was through company insurance but it really was pathetic and makes a mockery of the insurance system and susequant costs. That was my situation (post above yours). No damage whatsoever, sub-2mph 'kiss'. I even offerred to the other driver to pay garage of her choice to have her car fully checked (wasn't going to be any damage, but offerred it for her peace of mind and as goodwill). Whiplash claim came in within 2 days. I pushed and pushed with my insurer, to make sure the equally ludicrous (fraudulent) claim was not paid/honoured. Took and sent photos of my car, the other car, the location, sent plenty of emails to the insurer (first email with photos on the day it happened, as I just knew she was going to try it on...or worse, go and reverse her car in a bollard then make the claim - this has been known to happen). As far as I know/have been told by the insurer (and new ones since), the other driver's claim was never successful, and indeed does not feature on my 'insurance rap sheet'. Score one for the good guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spilldig Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Leave lots and lots of room between you and the vehicle in front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geared Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 only 90 pounds a year? So why has my policy slowly increased year on year for someone with a clean licence and no history of car accidents? Where does the other 700 quid go? (stupid question) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uptowngirl Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 only 90 pounds a year? So why has my policy slowly increased year on year for someone with a clean licence and no history of car accidents? Where does the other 700 quid go? (stupid question) It seems we pay a bit to cover uninsured drivers, a bit to cover fake accidents and a bit for false claims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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