Crash for cash
Crash for cash is an illegal practice involving staged accidents that lead to fraudulent claims of injury believed to be costing the car insurance industry enormous sums of money every year.
Insurers classify this fraud under three categories, the first one being "staged" motor accidents where two or more vehicles are intentionally crashed into each other in order to make a false claim on insurance compensation.
The other two categories are "contrived" car accidents, which involve fraudsters making a fabricated claim for an accident or incident that never took place, and "induced" motor accidents. The latter involves a motorist making a deliberate move designed to force an innocent driver to crash into them, for example, sudden braking.
Roundabouts, junctions and slip roads across the UK are particular favourites for crash for cash incidents, according to insurers and law enforcement agencies, which routinely crack down on the people behind the scams.
Those involved in crash for cash incidents risk not only being sent to jail, but also gaining an official "fraud mark" on their license, thereby leading to existing insurance being invalidated or them being denied cover in the future.
