Aviva uncovers crash for cash fraud
Aviva has warned crash for cash scams remain a risk after it identified more than 6,000 fraudulent claims across all lines in the first six months of the year.
In total the insurer prevented fraud losses of more than £60m in the first half of the year, which equals £334,000 each day, with those found guilty sentenced to a combined 32 years in prison.
Crash for cash scams involve fraudsters deliberately driving into another motorist. Dashcam footage has protected many honest drivers from false claims, while electronic evidence has also played a role in exposing fraud.
For example, one motorist made a claim for vehicle damage but analysis of the Electronic Control Unit revealed the incident occurred in 2023 and the vehicle had previously been written off.
Fraud detection
Pete Ward, head of claims counter fraud at Aviva, said: “As our latest figures show, we continue to detect large volumes of opportunistic and organised claims fraud. The increase in detected fraud reflects our commitment to protecting honest customers from the physical, emotional, and financial consequences of fraud.
“It is really encouraging to see that our continued investment in our fraud detection capabilities is leading to more fraudsters being caught out. If you commit fraud, you are increasingly likely to be caught and will have to face the consequences.”
