Tuesday, June 18, 2013

All you need to know about staged accident scams


A common and distressing insurance scam in some states today is the staged accident scam. Frequently reported in places as far apart as Nevada, Michigan, New York, Florida, and California, the scams involve fraudsters deliberately setting up an accident and taking advantage of their victim status to overinflate insurance claims.  These scams often target highly insured vehicles such as luxury cars or big rigs and drivers seen as less likely to be confrontational, such as women and elderly people.

Image source: money.msn.com

 
There are many telltale signs that reveal that an auto collision accident is possibly staged.  Staged accidents frequently use clunky cars that are often filled with people (usually to inflate bogus medical claims).   They also prefer high-speed crashes.  The methods employed by fraudsters are crude, which is often a dead giveaway to their intentions when observed.  These often involve actively observing the victim and waiting for the right opportunity to induce a collision.

Image source: autos.msn.com


Details on these methods and more are available here and here.

The wallet isn’t the only thing hurt by staged collisions.  These faked accidents often cause real accidents themselves, which can lead to the deaths of people not involved in the ruse itself.

Image source: dmv.org

To help prevent road accidents, staged or otherwise, and perhaps to save on insurance coverage, drivers would be wise to practice defensive driving.  Moreover, when one gets the suspicion that something is amiss when in an accident, it is best to take as much evidence of the collision as possible and have the police involved.

Insurance providers like Freeway Insurance Services often provide insurance holders incentives and discounts for good driving behavior.  Visit this website for more updates.

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