Dashcam footage reveals the best way to avoid a crash-for-cash scam – also it can save you THOUSANDS
CRASH-FOR-CASH scams still hike premiums as insurers have to pay out on fraudulent claims.
But an increasing number are now being stopped, because of dashcam footage.
The video evidence helps to prevent fraudsters in their tracks by revealing what actually happened.
Admiral Insurance revealed it has not had to have a single crash-for-cash case involving dashcam footage to court this year.
That means claims have been cancelled – reducing payouts and slashing expensive legal bills.
This in turn means honest motorists could see annual premiums reduced.
Just one in 10 drivers currently has a dashcam installed which makes it much more likely that there's no footage of the dispute.
Sue Evans, head of counter fraud at Admiral, said: "We take fraudulent claims extremely seriously. They can be costly and time intensive to work on.
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"We believe it's our duty to research them thoroughly to assist police clamp recorded on organised gangs, who check this out type of crime being an good way to earn money.
"Ultimately it's motorists that pay it off, with an increase in their premiums. Not only that, it makes the roads more dangerous for everyone.
"If every car on the road had a dashcam, we would definitely visit a decrease in fraud because the professional criminal gangs doing this would realise that there will be evidence presented that they could not argue against."
And Admiral has shared four cases exclusively using the Sun Online to show what you should look out for when driving – and how to don't get conned by a crash-for-cash scam.
Bumpy ride
The car in front submitted claims for that bumper-to-bumper incident.
Fortunately, the 3rd party had the dashcam footage to dispute the claim and described a confrontation.
After statements were taken, charge car driver said the following car had flashed his lights and sounded the horn.
Dashcams will not record sound so there was no evidence to aid this but the claim was dropped with no payment made.
Smash and grab
Admiral were provided with a YouTube link to dashcam footage from the crash.
It shows an induced accident with the use of a "stooge car".
The car pulls off in the last second and the car in front brakes resulting in the rear end shunt.
The claim was successfully challenged due to the third car's role in the collision.
Brake test
The victim would be a taxi driver having a dashcam fitted.
The motorist opened up behind the fraudster who was stationary at the red traffic lights.
The front seat passenger within the lead car removes to see who's behind them.
As the lights change to green, both cars accomplish however the front car suddenly brakes showing a vintage slam on.
Dashcam provided by the third party taxi driver shows a classic slam on.
Immediately following the accident car empties with the passenger holding his next – classic indications of intends to create a fraudulent whiplash claim.
Emergency stop
Admiral challenged this claim since there wasn't any reason for the car in-front to slam on the brakes.
The driver had claimed they'd stopped due to an object within the road.
But the footage, supplied by the insured driver, clearly showed nothing within the road.
There are also tens of witnesses in other cars on the busy stretch of road in the middle of the day.
The case was dropped.