Ambulance chasers

Yup, just pass it to your insurance company and write a statement that there was only 1 person in the car at the time of the accident.

Job done, forget about it.
 
I'm staggered that people say "why care?"

Everyone's insurance premiums are going up because of dodgy claims like these. Hell, you may as well give free cash to everyone in the vacinity if you're ok with an additional 6 people being paid out ~£1000 each just because they're trying to make a quick buck.
 
I'd really hope that if there was dash cam footage that people such as the driver and his wife in this instance were prosecuted for fraud - would be interested to know how common the prosecutions are in these cases?
 
dowie said:
I'd really hope that if there was dash cam footage that people such as the driver and his wife in this instance were prosecuted for fraud - would be interested to know how common the prosecutions are in these cases?
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'Tis why I've started using one, too many near misses and stories recently when I can stick something on my windscreen for a few quid that could potentially save me a fair chunk or stop some chancer walking away free of consequence or with a nice lumper for lying.
 
EVH said:
I'm staggered that people say "why care?"

Everyone's insurance premiums are going up because of dodgy claims like these. Hell, you may as well give free cash to everyone in the vacinity if you're ok with an additional 6 people being paid out ~£1000 each just because they're trying to make a quick buck.
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I'm with you EVH, people should care, it's dishonest, immoral and should be weeded out of society.

I heard of a story where a minibus braked suddenly at a particular bridge. The car behind obviously crashed in to it, but the driver of the car was surprised when 5 or more blokes ran down from the bridge, jumped in the minibus and instantly had whiplash.

Then there's the possible myth of the single decker bus that was involved in an accident in London. When the claims came in there was over 200 passengers with whiplash ...
 
Mysterae_ said:
I'm with you EVH, people should care, it's dishonest, immoral and should be weeded out of society.

I heard of a story where a minibus braked suddenly at a particular bridge. The car behind obviously crashed in to it, but the driver of the car was surprised when 5 or more blokes ran down from the bridge, jumped in the minibus and instantly had whiplash.

Then there's the possible myth of the single decker bus that was involved in an accident in London. When the claims came in there was over 200 passengers with whiplash ...
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I think this is what my wife was most distraught about - the fact that both she and the breakdown guy who helped, were all stood around with this guy chatting, he even said he was on his way to pick up the kids - yet along comes this bogus claim, and suddenly his wife and kids are in the car! So here's hoping that the breakdown company provide a statement confirming this...
 
This happened to a colleague of mine, suddenly 5 people claiming after a prang involving him and another couple. His insurance company did exactly nothing to investigate a fraudulent claim, they just accepted that there were 5 people's word against his and paid out. The only thing they would have accepted from him was actual video evidence.
 
Clav said:
This happened to a colleague of mine, suddenly 5 people claiming after a prang involving him and another couple. His insurance company did exactly nothing to investigate a fraudulent claim, they just accepted that there were 5 people's word against his and paid out. The only thing they would have accepted from him was actual video evidence.
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Christ that's really bad - but I guess the camera doesn't lie, so even if my wife were able to get a witness statement, I half expect this law firm will allege that the other occupants of the vehicle simply didn't get our of the car; hence why only the driver can be recalled in the statement.

Edit: I guess the reason insurers don't fight it, is because in the grand scheme, it lets them push up all the premiums, so they probably make more than they pay out.
 
Sounds like a crash for cash scam. Suddenly stopping on a roundabout is a tactic they use, because they know people will be looking right and not straight ahead.

This sort of thing is why I never drive without my dash cam now. If you have video footage they don't have a leg to stand on. Thinking about one for the rear as well.
 
Nasher said:
Sounds like a crash for cash scam. Suddenly stopping on a roundabout is a tactic they use, because they know people will be looking right and not straight ahead.

This sort of thing is why I never drive without my dash cam now. If you have video footage they don't have a leg to stand on. Thinking about one for the rear as well.
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Possibly, but I think it was just a case my wife didn't pay attention - she even admitted that to me; she was rushing and late for work. It's just a bit **** that the guy can fabricate the fact his wife and three kids were in the car, when he told my wife that he was on his way to pick up the kids, and his wife wasn't event there (with the kids I guess). But I guess when it comes to law and whatnot, you have to be able to prove otherwise.

With any luck he and his wife get a token payout, and this shoddy law firm take a whopping cut of it; hoping that the T&Cs hide this fact :)
 
Did she give a statement saying he said he was on the way to pick the kids up? They could probably follow that up or catch him out, especially if it was during school hours.
 
Car insurance is an absolute joke. Someone wrote off my wifes car last year (totally the other drivers fault) and when my renewal came round my price went up by about 90 quid. Because she's a named driver on my car and was involved in a crash. She lost her car and I pay way more, all because of someone elses mistake. Like I said, a joke.
 
Nasher said:
Did she give a statement saying he said he was on the way to pick the kids up? They could probably follow that up or catch him out, especially if it was during school hours.
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Her insurance company didn't seem in the slightest interested, and the letter regarding being sued, doesn't give any opportunity to put forward a defence; it simply tells her that she is being sued for damages to persons and property.

Reading the drivers claim of lower back and leg pain, his form then goes on to state that he didn't seek any medial help, take time off of work, or anything - odd as he's self employed in a physical role. It's such a blatant case of trying it on, and for the good ol' cases of whiplash/back pain/whatever we can claim for, but the audacity to make up stories that others were in the car as well!

It's bound to result in a payout, and thanks to folk here, it sounds as if we won't hear any more about it - so mind is at least at rest in that regard. It is still annoying to know that they will probably get compo for lying, and will be yet another case pushing all our insurance costs up that little bit more.
 
Mak3R said:
Car insurance is an absolute joke. Someone wrote off my wifes car last year (totally the other drivers fault) and when my renewal came round my price went up by about 90 quid. Because she's a named driver on my car and was involved in a crash. She lost her car and I pay way more, all because of someone elses mistake. Like I said, a joke.
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Completely agree! When I got wiped out on my motorcycle back in 2008; completely the car driver's fault, admitted liability and I had three witness statements backing it all up - my premium jumped up £150! I then had 5 years of added insult to injury, as I had to declare this non fault claim, and it would also push the price up.
 
diamount said:
When our landline was still connected, I would get those calls all the time but I can't even drive, so they are simply fishing?
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Who know fella, it wouldn't surprise me - actually following the above crash, my wife was contacted by the chasers the very same evening! One even wanted to take her national insurance number as part of the process! That sounds beyond dodgy to me.
 
EVH said:
I'm staggered that people say "why care?"

Everyone's insurance premiums are going up because of dodgy claims like these. Hell, you may as well give free cash to everyone in the vacinity if you're ok with an additional 6 people being paid out ~£1000 each just because they're trying to make a quick buck.
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You should care, but without evidence to prove there was only one person in the car there's really nothing you can do about it. The insurance company certainly don't care as it's too expensive to actually do their job, so in the absence of compelling evidence they'll just settle.
 
Mak3R said:
Car insurance is an absolute joke. Someone wrote off my wifes car last year (totally the other drivers fault) and when my renewal came round my price went up by about 90 quid. Because she's a named driver on my car and was involved in a crash. She lost her car and I pay way more, all because of someone elses mistake. Like I said, a joke.
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It's all statistics. If you've been in an accident, even one in which you weren't at fault, then the odds say you're more likely to be in another accident, so you're a higher risk, so you cost more.
 
Mak3R said:
Car insurance is an absolute joke. Someone wrote off my wifes car last year (totally the other drivers fault) and when my renewal came round my price went up by about 90 quid. Because she's a named driver on my car and was involved in a crash. She lost her car and I pay way more, all because of someone elses mistake. Like I said, a joke.
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Unfortunately this is the way insurance works. Your wife is now deemed to be at a higher risk of another crash, and that is then reflected through your policy.

Agreed it's completely unjustified, but that's just the way it works.
 
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