Gangs sending drivers out to cause crashes for claims

An MP called on car insurance companies to properly investigate claims after it emerged a crash-for-cash con was sweeping the region.

South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson branded the practice disgusting and said he would be raising it with Government bosses. Crime gangs are sending drivers on to the roads to deliberately get people to smash into them.

They are then making whiplash claims through their own bogus No Win, No Fee insurance firms.

Police are already probing one big case in Sandwell. Last month, expensive cars suspected of being involved in fake accident insurance cons were discovered during a raid by police in West Bromwich.

A Mercedes CLS, BMW 1 series cars, Lexus SC luxury coupes as well as a Citroen taxi were among the models found at a yard in John Street.

Mr Williamson said he would now raise the issue with Government's transport secretary, Justine Greening.

"I think this sort of criminality is disgusting and that there is a failure on the part of insurance companies who are not properly checking claims because it is easier and cheaper to pay rather than contest," Mr Williamson said.

"Companies have a legal duty to make sure they are checking claims and by not doing that, they are putting more pressure and cost on hard-pressed motorists."

According to latest figures, there were 30,000 crash-for-cash crimes last year and the West Midlands was the worst-hit region.

The cost of the claims added an average of £44 onto the insurance premiums of drivers. Phil Bird, director of the Insurance Fraud Bureau said:

"We use sophisticated counter-fraud software to interrogate over 130 million insurance records to root-out insurance fraudsters every day."