Insurance Scam??

[stevieboy]

Right Guys & Girls, has anyone else experienced this scenario recently and if so what did you do??

Got three letters this morning. One from my insurance broker, one from the insurance company themselves and one from a claims handling outfit. All asking why I had not filled out a claim form following the accident I had in Glasgow during April.

Apparently I ran up the ar$e of some woman and now she has claimed against me. She got my reg.number at the scene but not my name, which is understandable seeing as though I havn't been to Glasgow for about twenty years. The furthest north my Roc has been thus far is Manchester!

So, a) mistaken identity, she got the reg.number wrong or b) scam?

Got in touch with the insurance company who asked if I could prove I hadn't been to Glasgow (!) and said they'd send an engineer out to see if my car had any signs of repair work (!). I thought you were innocent until proven otherwise.

Lastly would you report it to the old bill, stating you think there may be a scam on the go, just in case of any aggro at a later date??

Answers on a post code please!

[stuaz]

That doesn't sound good

What could of happened here was maybe your car has been cloned? Ether way its a scam, so it will be obvious when they send "an engineer" out to inspect your car

[Deagol]

Stevieboy,

Sorry to hear about the grief. Do any of the documents, especially the claims outfit one, specify your car or do they just give the registration?

I would:
1) Vigorously deny in a letter to my insurers that I had been near Glasgow. On their advice, respond similarly to the claims outfit. Suggest that they tell claims outfit that, if this is a false claim, any engineer visit cost could be billed to them;
2) Get family/friends/workmates to confirm in writing (from them to you) where you were on the date of the alleged incident;
3) Check any credit card/debit card details you may have from filling stations which could back up your locations on that date;
4) Report it to the police as a potential fake claim - and check if they have the accident reported to them and if so, what details are held. This should also cover your backside against claims that you failed to report an RTA;
5) Contact Trading Standards to see if they are aware of this type of thing;
6) Google it and see what the results are in case this is getting commonplace. I just did and there is an Insurance Fraud Bureau operated by insurance companies but the website is none too helpful at first glance.

Good luck in clearing your name.

[lancs_lad]

Hi Stevieboy

Despite all the conspiracy theory's this may just be a case of mistaken identity. The person who's had her car damaged may have simply obtained the wrong reg number of the car that hit hers.

There are a few things I would expect if I had been implicated in this matter

1 I would expect the woman to have reported the matter to her local Police as a "Fail to Stop" RTC (otherwise she should have the name and address of the driver (which also means you may get a Notice of Intended Prosecution and Rt172 form to inform the Police who was driving at the time If you do then fill it in and return it with a covering letter - not responding is an offence itself).
2 I would expect her legal team to have a full descriptive statement of your vehicle and if possible it's occupants
3 I would also expect there to be at least one fully independent witness to back up her claims

As has been previously stated the best way to prove it wasn't you is to provide proof of your whereabouts on the day in question either by receipts or a written statement from someone you were with. The other parties insurers have an obligation to follow up the claim and the first thing they will do is contact your insurers after finding out who they are from the Motor Insurers database.

Good luck

[stevieboy]

Thanks for your replies.

I'm hoping that it's just mistaken identity, which, according to my broker, happens frequently.

Lancs_lad - I understand from previous threads that you're well versed on this kind of thing from your occupation (or previous), so my question is :- Would you report it to the police?

Cheers Guys!!

[lancs_lad]

Thanks for your replies.

I'm hoping that it's just mistaken identity, which, according to my broker, happens frequently.

Lancs_lad - I understand from previous threads that you're well versed on this kind of thing from your occupation (or previous), so my question is :- Would you report it to the police?

Cheers Guys!!

No I wouldn't. If it's a scam it's your insurers that will be the complainants and not you therefore the responsibility of reporting it will be the insurance company themselves. If you want any more advice as this progresses feel free to pm me.

[stevieboy]

Thanks Lancs_lad

I'll have a ring round tomorrow and see if I can get any more information from the broker, insurers etc

Depending on what they come back with, I'll determine my next move.

Will pm you if needed.

Cheers for the advice and the offer of further