Industry News from Yes Insurance

Criminals staging road accidents could add five per cent to the car insurance premiums of honest drivers, Royal & SunAlliance (R&SA) has claimed.

Since 1999, approximately 22,500 crashes have been staged on UK roads to gain money from insurers, the company's research states.

The car insurance premiums of the innocent parties could subsequently increase, along with the loss of their no-claims bonus.

"Staged motor accidents are on the rise and are potentially extremely dangerous," said John Beadle, UK counter-fraud manager with R&SA and chairman of the recently founded Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB).

If a motorist suspects they have been involved in a fake accident, the IFB recommends taking the registration details of all the vehicles and people involved and, in the event of injury, calling the police.

Meanwhile, police have been called to crack down on hit and run driving in Haringey, reports the Tottenham, Woodford Green and Edmonton Journal.

"We need more action by the police to end the cowardly crime of hit and run driving in Haringey," said Jenny Jones, the road safety ambassador for the mayor of London.

© Adfero Ltd