02 September 2010 / by Rachael Stiles
Drivers have upped the ante when it comes to car insurance fraud by trying to pass off old damage or normal wear and tear as part of a genuine insurance claims, according to online car insurance provider Swiftcover.com.
In an attempt to get their car insurance provider to pay for the costs of normal wear and tear or damage that occurred some time ago along with a claim for more recent damage, a number of drivers are trying the ‘two for one’ tactic, the insurer has said.
Swiftcover.com believes that some false claims are a result of genuine misconception, a lack of understanding among some drivers of what car insurance covers, but others are out to get what they can.
Amongst the most common tricks of the car insurance fraud trade, Swiftcover.com has found claims where a driver will pass off old damage as new; where they have asked a garage to repair old damage at the same time and pass it off as new damage;
But, Swiftcover.com says that these claims are often determined to be false because insurance companies and garages can tell what damage was caused by the accident being claimed for, and reputable garages will refuse to go along with the fraudster’s requests.
Other instances include claims for damaged or worn-out parts which is uncovered during the repairs for a current claim and the driver will demand that these be covered by their car insurance, but again, Swiftcover.com argues that mechanics will see through this and know what problems were caused by the accident.
Some unscrupulous drivers try and claims for fictitious expensive items, which they claims were in their glove bow or boot when their car was broken into, but in fact never existed, but thieves usually target cars with expensive items on display, and insurance assessors will be able to tell if the facts of a crime match up to the claim.
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