A personal injury claim topping £54k has been stopped in its tracks by motor fraud specialists Asset Protection Unit (APU).

The incident involving a flatbed lorry and a vehicle fitted with an In-Car Cleverness (ICC) telematics device was analysed prior to a County Court hearing where the claim was terminated.

The ICC telematics device enabled APU investigators to assess the low speed collision and determine that, due to the difference in size and weight of the vehicles, the claimed injuries were completely implausible. 

The case further underlines the role telematics can play in reducing fraud, helping insurance companies to prevent unjustified insurance payouts and offer affordable premiums. 

Neil Thomas, director of investigative services at APU, said: “Motorists must be careful of opportunists who apparently escalate the severity of an incident in an attempt to profit from the situation.”

In this case, three claimants overstated the extent of the incident, leading to the £54,000 demand which Aviva insurance will have had to pay out had APU not intervened.

The dispute, heard in Macclesfield County Court, was a typical example of how careful investigation and telematics data can play a role in stamping out fraud.

Personal injury claims have soared in the last decade, costing motorists millions in increased insurance costs. There are, on average, 380 fraudulent claims made to insurance companies daily. False whiplash claims alone cost the motor industry at least £1 billion* each year, but APU has played a key role in bringing fraudsters to justice.

“Fraudulent personal injury claims add millions to the cost of the nation’s insurance premiums. Many fraudsters prey upon vulnerable motorists in premeditated attempts to fleece them and their insurance firm out of thousands of pounds but others are simply opportunistic.” said Thomas.  

“Whenever we can help insurers and the Police to reduce dishonest claims, we’ll do all we can – ultimately it benefits law-abiding motorists.”

Author: Fleet News