A new insurance crime wave is sweeping Britain and is costing innocent motorists thousands. The scam which has been used in the states for a number of years varies in its level of sophistication but usually takes the following form fraudsters will fill a car with as many passengers as possible they then drive in front of an innocent motorist wait for them to be distracted by something like adjusting the radio and brake suddenly causing the innocent motorist to hit the rear of the fraudsters car.
In the eyes of the insurers the innocent victim will be at fault and the fraudsters will often use bogus witnesses who where not even at the scene of the accident and fictitious passengers. Then follows bogus injury claims for all the passengers in the car along with bogus claims for car hire and hugely exaggerated repair bills. In some cases a simple accident can cost an insurer £30,000.
The fraudsters use old cars and tend to target cars that are a few years old with lone drivers. They will often use a round about as the scene of the accident. If you are caught in this situation beware of any witnesses who appear from nowhere blaming you and passengers claiming whip lash after minor accidents.
Showing posts with label Insurance claims. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Insurance claims. Show all posts
Monday, 21 July 2008
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Fraudsters beware
The insurance industry had a stark warning for anyone tempted to make a false insurance claim. Recently released figures from the ABI (Association of British Insurers) show that last year insurers uncovered 24,000 fraudulent motor insurance claims up 70% over the past three years. In total £260 million, or £5 million every week of false claims where detected.
Nick Starling, the ABI’s Director of General Insurance and Health, said:
“Insurance fraud is no victimless crime. Honest motorists pay through higher insurance premiums – an extra £40 a year on average. This is why insurers are ramping up their crackdown to weed out the cheats. Anyone committing insurance fraud is more likely to get caught, risks a criminal record, and will find future insurance and credit harder to obtain and more expensive.”
The number of fraudulet claims is expected to rise sharpely as consumers start to feel the pinch of the credit crunch and strugle to meet hire purchase and loan repayments.
Cheats who have been caught out include:
• A policyholder, claiming for damage to her Land Rover when it hit the front of her house, said it was caused when her foot slipped off the brake. However, the damage was caused deliberately, following an argument with her partner.
• A car owner claimed his car had been stolen. It was proved that he had pushed it over a cliff, and planned to use the insurance payout to meet his Hire Purchase payments.
• The owner of a Rolls Royce claimed £10,000 for the alleged theft of the front grill, hubcaps, steering wheel, seats and bonnet mascot. However, he had removed the items himself; they were later found in his home by the police. He received a criminal conviction.
Nick Starling, the ABI’s Director of General Insurance and Health, said:
“Insurance fraud is no victimless crime. Honest motorists pay through higher insurance premiums – an extra £40 a year on average. This is why insurers are ramping up their crackdown to weed out the cheats. Anyone committing insurance fraud is more likely to get caught, risks a criminal record, and will find future insurance and credit harder to obtain and more expensive.”
The number of fraudulet claims is expected to rise sharpely as consumers start to feel the pinch of the credit crunch and strugle to meet hire purchase and loan repayments.
Cheats who have been caught out include:
• A policyholder, claiming for damage to her Land Rover when it hit the front of her house, said it was caused when her foot slipped off the brake. However, the damage was caused deliberately, following an argument with her partner.
• A car owner claimed his car had been stolen. It was proved that he had pushed it over a cliff, and planned to use the insurance payout to meet his Hire Purchase payments.
• The owner of a Rolls Royce claimed £10,000 for the alleged theft of the front grill, hubcaps, steering wheel, seats and bonnet mascot. However, he had removed the items himself; they were later found in his home by the police. He received a criminal conviction.
Monday, 16 June 2008
Costly DIY?
A recent survey of 1500 men has revealed more than a third (37%) admitted they don't really like doing DIY and another third of all men feel under pressure from their partners to undertake DIY jobs.
This figure is corroborated by the fact that 31% of women expect their partners to carry out the necessary home improvement and 49% think DIY skills are desirable in a prospective partner.
Conversely, only 2% of men expect their partners to be able to accomplish DIY tasks.
The survey further suggests that, in order to impress their partners, many men take on too ambitious and even possibly dangerous projects such as electric wiring or major building or gas works.
A spokesperson for ROSPA said "TV home makeover shows make it all appear so simple, and it's easy to forget that these are highly skilled professionals."
"In reality trying to tackle certain areas you are not qualified for such as electrics or plumbing is dangerous and could even invalidate your home insurance policy, leaving you liable for any subsequent damage. We'd recommend using a reputable tradesman rather than going it alone."
ROSPA urges homeowners who do not have the necessary qualifications or experience to be cautious, because their home insurance might be invalidated if their home improvement work goes wrong.
Accidental damage of sinks, baths, ceramic hobs or glass in doors is included in most policies, but common DIY disasters like drilling into a water pipe or putting a foot through the ceiling might require additional cover.
This figure is corroborated by the fact that 31% of women expect their partners to carry out the necessary home improvement and 49% think DIY skills are desirable in a prospective partner.
Conversely, only 2% of men expect their partners to be able to accomplish DIY tasks.
The survey further suggests that, in order to impress their partners, many men take on too ambitious and even possibly dangerous projects such as electric wiring or major building or gas works.
A spokesperson for ROSPA said "TV home makeover shows make it all appear so simple, and it's easy to forget that these are highly skilled professionals."
"In reality trying to tackle certain areas you are not qualified for such as electrics or plumbing is dangerous and could even invalidate your home insurance policy, leaving you liable for any subsequent damage. We'd recommend using a reputable tradesman rather than going it alone."
ROSPA urges homeowners who do not have the necessary qualifications or experience to be cautious, because their home insurance might be invalidated if their home improvement work goes wrong.
Accidental damage of sinks, baths, ceramic hobs or glass in doors is included in most policies, but common DIY disasters like drilling into a water pipe or putting a foot through the ceiling might require additional cover.
Monday, 2 June 2008
Making a false insurance claim could cost you your home
False claims and policyholders exaggerating the cost of damage costs the insurance industry £1.5 billion a year.
With fraudulent claims on the up and the cost of recent flood damage rising, insurance companies are continuing to crack down on false or inflated claims.
One of the ways they deter false claims is by sharing information with mortgage lenders and credit card providers, which could potentially make it much harder for claims cheats to obtain credit.
John Beadle, RSA's counter fraud manager, said: "The reality is that insurance fraud adds a significant amount to overall claim costs and it's the honest policyholders who are the true victim, Fraud adds five per cent onto their insurance bills"
He added "Consumers need to be aware that in the near future we will be able to monitor fraud across a spectrum of financial products. So if a person commits fraud on a claim and is detected, other companies, like mortgage lenders and credit card providers will be aware of it".
You've been warned!
With fraudulent claims on the up and the cost of recent flood damage rising, insurance companies are continuing to crack down on false or inflated claims.
One of the ways they deter false claims is by sharing information with mortgage lenders and credit card providers, which could potentially make it much harder for claims cheats to obtain credit.
John Beadle, RSA's counter fraud manager, said: "The reality is that insurance fraud adds a significant amount to overall claim costs and it's the honest policyholders who are the true victim, Fraud adds five per cent onto their insurance bills"
He added "Consumers need to be aware that in the near future we will be able to monitor fraud across a spectrum of financial products. So if a person commits fraud on a claim and is detected, other companies, like mortgage lenders and credit card providers will be aware of it".
You've been warned!
Friday, 28 March 2008
You couldn't make it up - Australian version
An elderly man was penalised for the twin crimes of failing to keep one’s savings in a secure bank and keeping secrets from one’s wife when the wad of cash he had secretly stashed in the couple’s rarely-used wood fire oven went up in smoke when she decided to prepare (an also rare) home-cooked meal.
All in a day’s work apparently for the chaps at Allianz Australia – according to a list the insurer released today of strange but true insurance claims.
“We hear quite a few interesting stories through our claims ..." says a spokesman for the company "… from a car crash caused by a ghost to horses eating car interiors.”
Perhaps, surprisingly, many of these claims are successful.
“You couldn’t make some of these stories up if you tried,” he said.
“It goes to show that truth really can be stranger than fiction.”
Some of the more unusual claims paid by Allianz in 2007 include an Adelaide-based woman who was robbed of her extensive (and apparently expensive) collection of sex toys, a rural NSW-based family whose home inside a hill was destroyed when a cow fell through their skylight and a northern Queensland-based man who’s car was written off when he swerved to avoid hitting the local celebrity ghost.
While Allianz were somewhat doubtful about the circumstances of the last claim, it was paid on the basis that it could not be proven that ghosts do not exist.
All in a day’s work apparently for the chaps at Allianz Australia – according to a list the insurer released today of strange but true insurance claims.
“We hear quite a few interesting stories through our claims ..." says a spokesman for the company "… from a car crash caused by a ghost to horses eating car interiors.”
Perhaps, surprisingly, many of these claims are successful.
“You couldn’t make some of these stories up if you tried,” he said.
“It goes to show that truth really can be stranger than fiction.”
Some of the more unusual claims paid by Allianz in 2007 include an Adelaide-based woman who was robbed of her extensive (and apparently expensive) collection of sex toys, a rural NSW-based family whose home inside a hill was destroyed when a cow fell through their skylight and a northern Queensland-based man who’s car was written off when he swerved to avoid hitting the local celebrity ghost.
While Allianz were somewhat doubtful about the circumstances of the last claim, it was paid on the basis that it could not be proven that ghosts do not exist.
Thursday, 20 March 2008
DIY fans expected to cause up to £25 million damage this Easter
DIY enthusiasts could cause up to £25million worth of damage in British homes this Easter weekend - one of the most popular periods for taking on home improvements.
Research suggests that a clumsy 16 per cent of people have damaged their homes or their property carrying out a DIY improvement and the industry expects to pay out anything up to £25 million for DIY-related damage this Easter.
A survey of 2,000 householders by Allianz Insurance also found that nearly 30 per cent of people admit they have injured themselves or someone else while carrying out a DIY job. This figure is supported by the fact that an estimated 200,000 DIY enthusiasts turn up at hospital each year.
Worryingly, 55 per cent admitted to starting a DIY job without the correct tools and almost 50 per cent said that they had started a DIY job without really knowing how to do it - including electrical and plumbing jobs.
So if you're looking to start those long-awaited home improvements this weekend - you just mind how you go!
Research suggests that a clumsy 16 per cent of people have damaged their homes or their property carrying out a DIY improvement and the industry expects to pay out anything up to £25 million for DIY-related damage this Easter.
A survey of 2,000 householders by Allianz Insurance also found that nearly 30 per cent of people admit they have injured themselves or someone else while carrying out a DIY job. This figure is supported by the fact that an estimated 200,000 DIY enthusiasts turn up at hospital each year.
Worryingly, 55 per cent admitted to starting a DIY job without the correct tools and almost 50 per cent said that they had started a DIY job without really knowing how to do it - including electrical and plumbing jobs.
So if you're looking to start those long-awaited home improvements this weekend - you just mind how you go!
Monday, 3 March 2008
Barking Mad
An estimated 1.8 million pet insurance claims are made in the UK against veterinary treatment for cats and dogs every year. A further 18,000 claims are also made for other reasons including when the animal is lost or stolen. However around 75% of uninsured cat and dog owners pay out for an estimated 5.5 million veterinary treatments annually.
According to a supermarket insurance company who shall remain nameless but would be better employed making sure they had enough bread and milk on the shelves of my local one, the most common pet insurance claim is for skin tumours, followed by general poor health where the cat or dog is said to be "just not his/herself".
According to a supermarket insurance company who shall remain nameless but would be better employed making sure they had enough bread and milk on the shelves of my local one, the most common pet insurance claim is for skin tumours, followed by general poor health where the cat or dog is said to be "just not his/herself".
Monday, 18 February 2008
Sir Tom denies chest hair insurance claim
Apparently Sir Tom Jones has dismissed reports he’s had his legendary chest hair insured for millions.
A tabloid newspaper reported that the singer had approached Lloyd’s of London, who agreed to insure his chest hair for £3.5million.
But a posting on Sir Tom’s official website says the claims are nonsense.
“The story is completely fabricated,” it says. “No such insurance policy exists or has ever been considered. We assume this is just a bit of fun and hope no one takes this kind of ‘reporting’ seriously.”
We thought such an insurance policy would be rare.
But apparently, it's not unusual!
A tabloid newspaper reported that the singer had approached Lloyd’s of London, who agreed to insure his chest hair for £3.5million.
But a posting on Sir Tom’s official website says the claims are nonsense.
“The story is completely fabricated,” it says. “No such insurance policy exists or has ever been considered. We assume this is just a bit of fun and hope no one takes this kind of ‘reporting’ seriously.”
We thought such an insurance policy would be rare.
But apparently, it's not unusual!
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Insurance fraud can be dangerous
Insurance fraud is harder than it looks. Just ask Andreas, who lost his life trying to collect on an amputated limb. Just ask Musa and his son Essa, who hired an arsonist to burn down their Steak Thyme Subs shop so they could collect the insurance money. They promised him a $60,000 a year job, but where he would work once the shop was gone is unknown.
Three times he tried, and three times he failed to destroy the sandwich shop. The neighborhood was up in arms over the apparent "hate crimes" repeatedly being committed against the Jordanian immigrants. Whether it was a Molotov cocktail thrown through the window, or chairs doused with gasoline and set ablaze, the result was the same. Minor damage. This was getting them nowhere fast!
Eventually Musa grew tired of throwing good money after bad. For the fourth arson attempt, only 12 hours after the flaming chairs fizzled, he and his son decided to help out their hired hand. They spread gasoline around their eatery, so that a single match would do the trick.
Tragically, they apparently had more talent for arson than their amateur arsonist. They took a cigarette break. One lit cigarette later, an accidental gas explosion took out one wall, and burned both men over 80% of their bodies. Despite several weeks of hospitalized care, the men died from their injuries.
The inept arsonist faces a far lighter sentence: up to 10 years in prison.
Let that be a lesson to you!
Three times he tried, and three times he failed to destroy the sandwich shop. The neighborhood was up in arms over the apparent "hate crimes" repeatedly being committed against the Jordanian immigrants. Whether it was a Molotov cocktail thrown through the window, or chairs doused with gasoline and set ablaze, the result was the same. Minor damage. This was getting them nowhere fast!
Eventually Musa grew tired of throwing good money after bad. For the fourth arson attempt, only 12 hours after the flaming chairs fizzled, he and his son decided to help out their hired hand. They spread gasoline around their eatery, so that a single match would do the trick.
Tragically, they apparently had more talent for arson than their amateur arsonist. They took a cigarette break. One lit cigarette later, an accidental gas explosion took out one wall, and burned both men over 80% of their bodies. Despite several weeks of hospitalized care, the men died from their injuries.
The inept arsonist faces a far lighter sentence: up to 10 years in prison.
Let that be a lesson to you!
Thursday, 24 January 2008
On the fiddle
One in 10 people would exaggerate an insurance claim if they believed they would not get caught and 7% admit to actually committing fraud, says a Norwich Union report.
Insurers often face criticism for using non-disclosure as a scapegoat in order to avoid payouts, but they have also said consumers need to take their share of the blame.
Following a survey commissioned by Norwich Union, the UK insurer said that up to 10% of all insurance claims are thought to be false, which represents a cost of more than £1.6 billion a year.
The research also showed that 75% of British adults believe that dishonesty is rife in today's society, and 46% believe the UK has seen a significant shift in attitudes over the past decade.
Dominic Clayden, director of claims at Norwich Union, said that as much as 60% of all insurance fraud is committed by those who are motivated by a belief that everyone else is at it. But he also said that another reason for fraud was that people were concerned they would not be paid the full value by their insurer.
‘These concerns are in fact entirely misplaced, our priority is to pay genuine claims in full, as quickly as possible,’ Clayden said.
Last year Norwich Union identified and denied 20,000 claims that it deemed were fraudulent, worth approximately £150 million.
Clayden said: ‘Not many people realise that if any part of their claim can be shown to be fraudulent, then the whole claim is potentially invalidated and you risk not receiving any payment at all.
Insurers often face criticism for using non-disclosure as a scapegoat in order to avoid payouts, but they have also said consumers need to take their share of the blame.
Following a survey commissioned by Norwich Union, the UK insurer said that up to 10% of all insurance claims are thought to be false, which represents a cost of more than £1.6 billion a year.
The research also showed that 75% of British adults believe that dishonesty is rife in today's society, and 46% believe the UK has seen a significant shift in attitudes over the past decade.
Dominic Clayden, director of claims at Norwich Union, said that as much as 60% of all insurance fraud is committed by those who are motivated by a belief that everyone else is at it. But he also said that another reason for fraud was that people were concerned they would not be paid the full value by their insurer.
‘These concerns are in fact entirely misplaced, our priority is to pay genuine claims in full, as quickly as possible,’ Clayden said.
Last year Norwich Union identified and denied 20,000 claims that it deemed were fraudulent, worth approximately £150 million.
Clayden said: ‘Not many people realise that if any part of their claim can be shown to be fraudulent, then the whole claim is potentially invalidated and you risk not receiving any payment at all.
Monday, 7 January 2008
Those crazy insurance claims - again!
A leading Insurance company has sifted through more than 180,000 car insurance claims and released a list of some of the craziest.
They include:
Silly Moo – You expect to see a few animals on a trip to the countryside but finding one on top of her car certainly took Mrs R by surprise. After crashing through a fence and making a rather large dent in the bonnet, the bull and driver were lucky to escape with minor bumps – the car was not!
The Big Sleep – Mr L found his trip to Holy Island in Northumberland so relaxing that as he sat in his camper van admiring the view, he nodded off. However, he woke up to find he’d parked on the causeway and the tide had come in. Whilst he was safely rescued by boat, his van sank without trace.
Upsetting the Applecart – A shocked Mr A was taken by surprise when he experienced a rather unusual downpour. It wasn’t rain showering down on his car but apples from a forklift truck
Supermarket Sweep – Flying balls, jumping deer and barking dogs...we thought we had heard them all until Mrs P claimed “several airborne shopping trolleys came flying towards me ruining my bonnet.” The offending trolleys had fallen off a delivery lorry.
All Washed Up – Mr K found himself in deep water on a trip to the car wash. When a brush came loose and scraped down the side of his vehicle he opened the door to press the emergency button. Unfortunately, the machine jammed in the open door, writing off both car and car wash
It just goes to show, you need to ensure you’re covered for all eventualities, however far-fetched they might seem.
They include:
Silly Moo – You expect to see a few animals on a trip to the countryside but finding one on top of her car certainly took Mrs R by surprise. After crashing through a fence and making a rather large dent in the bonnet, the bull and driver were lucky to escape with minor bumps – the car was not!
The Big Sleep – Mr L found his trip to Holy Island in Northumberland so relaxing that as he sat in his camper van admiring the view, he nodded off. However, he woke up to find he’d parked on the causeway and the tide had come in. Whilst he was safely rescued by boat, his van sank without trace.
Upsetting the Applecart – A shocked Mr A was taken by surprise when he experienced a rather unusual downpour. It wasn’t rain showering down on his car but apples from a forklift truck
Supermarket Sweep – Flying balls, jumping deer and barking dogs...we thought we had heard them all until Mrs P claimed “several airborne shopping trolleys came flying towards me ruining my bonnet.” The offending trolleys had fallen off a delivery lorry.
All Washed Up – Mr K found himself in deep water on a trip to the car wash. When a brush came loose and scraped down the side of his vehicle he opened the door to press the emergency button. Unfortunately, the machine jammed in the open door, writing off both car and car wash
It just goes to show, you need to ensure you’re covered for all eventualities, however far-fetched they might seem.
Friday, 4 January 2008
A real Christmas story? Or a cheap PR trick?
It doesn't take much to get the old Insurance suits excited.
This week, one of our treasured and traditional insurers = Sainsbury’s (and I thought they were grocers) - issued a warning of an increase in home insurance claims from Boxing Day.
Yep - you read that right. Apparently, during December last year, the average value of home insurance claims received by them was £658.28, but on Boxing Day, this average soars to £2,209.31.
Apparently - according to the head honcho at Sainsbury's (one presumes its the bloke off the bacon counter) - over the Christmas period, we are at a higher risk of being burgled or, if we have our home full of friends and family, the chances of something breaking or being damaged can also increase.
My reaction? So what! What does the grocer wish us to do? Skip Christmas all together?
Maybe he should stick to his in-store bakery and tins of beans.
And leave his cheap attempts at getting in the newspapers to the politicians.
Bah humbug indeed!
Mind how you go now.
This week, one of our treasured and traditional insurers = Sainsbury’s (and I thought they were grocers) - issued a warning of an increase in home insurance claims from Boxing Day.
Yep - you read that right. Apparently, during December last year, the average value of home insurance claims received by them was £658.28, but on Boxing Day, this average soars to £2,209.31.
Apparently - according to the head honcho at Sainsbury's (one presumes its the bloke off the bacon counter) - over the Christmas period, we are at a higher risk of being burgled or, if we have our home full of friends and family, the chances of something breaking or being damaged can also increase.
My reaction? So what! What does the grocer wish us to do? Skip Christmas all together?
Maybe he should stick to his in-store bakery and tins of beans.
And leave his cheap attempts at getting in the newspapers to the politicians.
Bah humbug indeed!
Mind how you go now.
Thursday, 3 January 2008
I told you to mind how you go!!
With earthquakes that hardly trouble the Richter scale, and just one native poisonous snake, you'd think Britain was the safest country on Earth.
But that didn't stop more than a million of us ending up in accident and emergency last year - sometimes for the most bizarre of reasons.
These included three patients needing treatment after being bitten by a crocodile or alligator in the last year. The luckless trio were among 77 patients bitten by reptiles overall.
In addition, eight Britons got into a pickle with a scorpion, 12 pushed their luck with a venomous spider - and 725 had a nasty encounter with a hornet.
Fifty-five people were seen after suffering 'contact' with venomous snakes or lizards, and 22 came off worse from an encounter with a marine animal or plant.
The latest emergency hospital admissions statistics also revealed that one unidentified patient needed to see a doctor "for an illness resulting from staying too long in a weightless environment".
Another 60 Britons were seen by paramedics after being struck by lightning.
Doctors and nurses treated 4,660 dog bite injuries, with 1,369 of the victims being under 14. DIY enthusiasts also kept medical staff busy. There were 3,435 injuries while using power tools and other household machinery, and there were 452 lawnmower accidents.
Some of the other statistics might confirm suspicions over declining public services.
Amid fears that fortnightly bin collections are fuelling a boom in the numbers of vermin, it is disconcerting to note that 19 people visited a casualty department after being bitten by a rat.
Two of these victims needed to be admitted to hospital.
Equally worrying, 9,000 people were treated for illnesses contracted while in hospital and there were 162 cases of foreign objects being left in the body after surgery or other treatment.
Overall, 1,096,946 Britons were treated by casualty staff during 2006-07.
Not all of them injured themselves in such exotic ways, with more than 86,000 being hurt after "slipping, tripping or stumbling".
There were also 246 shooting victims, and nearly 6,000 people were stabbed, with all but 550 being men. On top of that, there were more than 3,500 cases of people being hit with a blunt instrument.
I told you to mind how you go didn't I?
Now - you take note.
And mind how you go.
But that didn't stop more than a million of us ending up in accident and emergency last year - sometimes for the most bizarre of reasons.
These included three patients needing treatment after being bitten by a crocodile or alligator in the last year. The luckless trio were among 77 patients bitten by reptiles overall.
In addition, eight Britons got into a pickle with a scorpion, 12 pushed their luck with a venomous spider - and 725 had a nasty encounter with a hornet.
Fifty-five people were seen after suffering 'contact' with venomous snakes or lizards, and 22 came off worse from an encounter with a marine animal or plant.
The latest emergency hospital admissions statistics also revealed that one unidentified patient needed to see a doctor "for an illness resulting from staying too long in a weightless environment".
Another 60 Britons were seen by paramedics after being struck by lightning.
Doctors and nurses treated 4,660 dog bite injuries, with 1,369 of the victims being under 14. DIY enthusiasts also kept medical staff busy. There were 3,435 injuries while using power tools and other household machinery, and there were 452 lawnmower accidents.
Some of the other statistics might confirm suspicions over declining public services.
Amid fears that fortnightly bin collections are fuelling a boom in the numbers of vermin, it is disconcerting to note that 19 people visited a casualty department after being bitten by a rat.
Two of these victims needed to be admitted to hospital.
Equally worrying, 9,000 people were treated for illnesses contracted while in hospital and there were 162 cases of foreign objects being left in the body after surgery or other treatment.
Overall, 1,096,946 Britons were treated by casualty staff during 2006-07.
Not all of them injured themselves in such exotic ways, with more than 86,000 being hurt after "slipping, tripping or stumbling".
There were also 246 shooting victims, and nearly 6,000 people were stabbed, with all but 550 being men. On top of that, there were more than 3,500 cases of people being hit with a blunt instrument.
I told you to mind how you go didn't I?
Now - you take note.
And mind how you go.
Wednesday, 19 December 2007
Now Santa gets the insurance treatment
There are times when I despair with my industry. Togther with their cohorts the health and safety police, our insurance underwriters have a significant impact on the day to day running of business - and on the day to day running of our own individual lives.
So, it probably should come as no surprise to hear that the Health & Safety/Insurance alliance has now targetted Father Christmas! This report was from today's Daily Telegraph:
They have told one Santa that he must be strapped into a full body harness in case he falls out of his sleigh as it is towed by a Land Rover at the gentle speed of five miles an hour.
Meanwhile, another has been forced to abandon his sleigh altogether, and travel on a rather less magical bus.
Members of the Halesowen and Rowley Regis Rotary Club were told that they would have to raise a four-figure sum to cover the insurance costs of a visit by Father Christmas, until he agreed to belt up.
Barry Wheeler, the president of the West Midlands club, said: "Every year we have made sure Santa gets to go through the town and wave to the children. It just seemed ridiculous, especially because he doesn't actually ride on the sleigh that often.
"He would be more likely to injure himself getting in and out of the sleigh than actually falling out of it."
One of the members of the club, which has been organising visits by Father Christmas for the past 20 years, has now taken the sleigh to be fitted with the harness. This means the club saved £200 on its insurance policy and could still go ahead with the event.
However, members said the tough rules took "the magic out of Christmas".
"We're going to try to make the belt as discreet as possible," said Mr Wheeler. "The sleigh ride through the towns starts in December and starts Christmas off for so many people. It would have been such a shame to see it cancelled."
Kelly Ostler, from the Association of British Insurers which represents about 400 UK insurance companies, said: "This is as much about protecting Santa from other drivers as protecting him from the speed of his own sleigh."
But Father Christmas has not been so lucky in the Northumbrian town of Alnwick. There, a 30-year tradition of visits to the town by Santa and his sleigh have been brought to an abrupt halt by a similar insurance wrangle.
As usual, the organisers - Alnwick Lions Club - planned to mount the sleigh on a district council trailer. But this year the council has ruled that using the trailer would be too dangerous because Santa is not a council employee, so he would not be covered by its insurance.
Instead, he has had to cancel the tour and will have to ride into town by bus to switch on the Christmas lights. Graham Luke, of the Alnwick Lions, told the Northumberland Gazette newspaper: "It is health and safety. We have become Americanised - that's the best way of putting it.
"It is very frustrating because it is a tradition that has been going on for so long."
An Alnwick district council spokesman said: "We always try to help with community projects, but regrettably, this is out of our hands."
Mind how you go now.
So, it probably should come as no surprise to hear that the Health & Safety/Insurance alliance has now targetted Father Christmas! This report was from today's Daily Telegraph:
They have told one Santa that he must be strapped into a full body harness in case he falls out of his sleigh as it is towed by a Land Rover at the gentle speed of five miles an hour.
Meanwhile, another has been forced to abandon his sleigh altogether, and travel on a rather less magical bus.
Members of the Halesowen and Rowley Regis Rotary Club were told that they would have to raise a four-figure sum to cover the insurance costs of a visit by Father Christmas, until he agreed to belt up.
Barry Wheeler, the president of the West Midlands club, said: "Every year we have made sure Santa gets to go through the town and wave to the children. It just seemed ridiculous, especially because he doesn't actually ride on the sleigh that often.
"He would be more likely to injure himself getting in and out of the sleigh than actually falling out of it."
One of the members of the club, which has been organising visits by Father Christmas for the past 20 years, has now taken the sleigh to be fitted with the harness. This means the club saved £200 on its insurance policy and could still go ahead with the event.
However, members said the tough rules took "the magic out of Christmas".
"We're going to try to make the belt as discreet as possible," said Mr Wheeler. "The sleigh ride through the towns starts in December and starts Christmas off for so many people. It would have been such a shame to see it cancelled."
Kelly Ostler, from the Association of British Insurers which represents about 400 UK insurance companies, said: "This is as much about protecting Santa from other drivers as protecting him from the speed of his own sleigh."
But Father Christmas has not been so lucky in the Northumbrian town of Alnwick. There, a 30-year tradition of visits to the town by Santa and his sleigh have been brought to an abrupt halt by a similar insurance wrangle.
As usual, the organisers - Alnwick Lions Club - planned to mount the sleigh on a district council trailer. But this year the council has ruled that using the trailer would be too dangerous because Santa is not a council employee, so he would not be covered by its insurance.
Instead, he has had to cancel the tour and will have to ride into town by bus to switch on the Christmas lights. Graham Luke, of the Alnwick Lions, told the Northumberland Gazette newspaper: "It is health and safety. We have become Americanised - that's the best way of putting it.
"It is very frustrating because it is a tradition that has been going on for so long."
An Alnwick district council spokesman said: "We always try to help with community projects, but regrettably, this is out of our hands."
Mind how you go now.
Sunday, 2 December 2007
Insurance claim is hisss-tory!!
Taiwan police have arrested a man who allegedly used a snake bite in an insurance fraud scheme, a newspaper said Saturday. The man, a Taipei construction worker identified only as Chien, 53, claimed he was bitten by a snake in November 2006 at the home of a friend who raised snakes.
Chien was rushed to hospital by his friend and had one finger amputated.
Several months ago, Chien approached his insurance company to claim 25 million Taiwan dollars (760,000 US dollars) insurance for bodily injury.
The insurance company studied Chien's medical records and became suspicious on finding that there was only one bite mark on Chien's hand, yet tests showed there were three types of snake venom in his blood.
Another peculiarity was that after Chien was bitten, he and the friend waited three hours before rushing Chien to a hospital.
The insurance company believed Chien let one snake bite him and injected the venom of two other snakes into his hand, so that the "snake bite" would be serious enough to require his hand or arm to be amputated, so he could file a claim on an insurance policy for bodily injury.
After investigating, the insurance company alerted police, who are now set to prosecute Chien for insurance fraud.
You see, you really need to get up early in the morning to get one over the insurance industry!
Chien was rushed to hospital by his friend and had one finger amputated.
Several months ago, Chien approached his insurance company to claim 25 million Taiwan dollars (760,000 US dollars) insurance for bodily injury.
The insurance company studied Chien's medical records and became suspicious on finding that there was only one bite mark on Chien's hand, yet tests showed there were three types of snake venom in his blood.
Another peculiarity was that after Chien was bitten, he and the friend waited three hours before rushing Chien to a hospital.
The insurance company believed Chien let one snake bite him and injected the venom of two other snakes into his hand, so that the "snake bite" would be serious enough to require his hand or arm to be amputated, so he could file a claim on an insurance policy for bodily injury.
After investigating, the insurance company alerted police, who are now set to prosecute Chien for insurance fraud.
You see, you really need to get up early in the morning to get one over the insurance industry!
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Insurance claims soar for couples who can't say 'I do'
I've been in the insurance business for many years now and I have to say that, whilst I'm aware that you can purchase wedding insurance, I think I could probably count the number of policies I've sold on one hand!
So, I was interested to read that claims for this unusual class of business have soared over the last twelve months..
Being forced to postpone or call off the big day is now the most common reason people claim on wedding insurance, accounting for 47.5 per cent of all claims - up from 22 per cent during the previous 12 months.
People were more than twice as likely to claim for their nuptuals being called off as they were for damage to the bride or groom's outfits, which, at 20 per cent, was the second most common reason for a claim, according to Debenhams Wedding Insurance.
Around 15 per cent of people who claimed on their wedding insurance during the past year did so because suppliers went bankrupt or failed to deliver on time, while 7 per cent sought pay-outs over lost, damaged or stolen rings, cakes, flowers and gifts, and 5 per cent claimed over problems with cars.
Apparently though the policy excludes happy couples suffering a change of heart.
Which is just as well - otherwise we could see a raft of retrospective claims!
So, I was interested to read that claims for this unusual class of business have soared over the last twelve months..
Being forced to postpone or call off the big day is now the most common reason people claim on wedding insurance, accounting for 47.5 per cent of all claims - up from 22 per cent during the previous 12 months.
People were more than twice as likely to claim for their nuptuals being called off as they were for damage to the bride or groom's outfits, which, at 20 per cent, was the second most common reason for a claim, according to Debenhams Wedding Insurance.
Around 15 per cent of people who claimed on their wedding insurance during the past year did so because suppliers went bankrupt or failed to deliver on time, while 7 per cent sought pay-outs over lost, damaged or stolen rings, cakes, flowers and gifts, and 5 per cent claimed over problems with cars.
Apparently though the policy excludes happy couples suffering a change of heart.
Which is just as well - otherwise we could see a raft of retrospective claims!
Monday, 26 November 2007
Most unusual claims of the year
We've always had a good relationship with our friends at Norwich Union, so I'm grateful to them for sharing with us their top ten of most unusual claims excuses received by them last year.
Number 10: "As I came over a hill, I hit a cow in the middle of the road, which then hit the bonnet and shattered the windscreen with its rear end."
Number 9: "A cow jumped on my quad bike".
Number 8: "My parked car was hit by a bull which had escaped from an agricultural show".
Number 7: "I couldn't brake because a potato was logged behind the brake"
Number 6: "While I was waiting at traffic lights, a wasp went down my trouser leg which made me hit the accelerator and prang the car in front".
Number 5: "A zebra collided with my car when I was at a safari park".
Number 4: "A herd of cows licked my car and caused damage to the paintwork".
Number 3: "I was driving round a bend, when one of the doors opened and a frozen kebab flew out, hitting and damaging a passing car".
Number 2: "The car was parked when a reindeer fell on the bonnet of my car".
Number 1: "A frozen squirrel fell out of a tree and crashed through the windscreen on to the passenger seat".
Priceless!
Number 10: "As I came over a hill, I hit a cow in the middle of the road, which then hit the bonnet and shattered the windscreen with its rear end."
Number 9: "A cow jumped on my quad bike".
Number 8: "My parked car was hit by a bull which had escaped from an agricultural show".
Number 7: "I couldn't brake because a potato was logged behind the brake"
Number 6: "While I was waiting at traffic lights, a wasp went down my trouser leg which made me hit the accelerator and prang the car in front".
Number 5: "A zebra collided with my car when I was at a safari park".
Number 4: "A herd of cows licked my car and caused damage to the paintwork".
Number 3: "I was driving round a bend, when one of the doors opened and a frozen kebab flew out, hitting and damaging a passing car".
Number 2: "The car was parked when a reindeer fell on the bonnet of my car".
Number 1: "A frozen squirrel fell out of a tree and crashed through the windscreen on to the passenger seat".
Priceless!
Friday, 23 November 2007
Insurance claims Deer - official!
I got a note from a pal in the industry who lives in Swindon and he passed me a copy of a report in his local newspaper which had me scractching my head.
According to the report in This is Wiltshire, warnings are being issued to motorists in the New Year to slow down whilst driving in the New Forest.
The reason?
Deer.
Yep, apparently, head-on collisions with deer are leading to insurance claims of more than £21 million each year across the UK.
Apparently, every year an estimated 75,000 deer are struck by cars in the UK, but Jamie Cordery, the south-east deer liaison officer for the Deer Initiative, said that, despite the high number of deaths, the population of deer in the New Forest is not yet under threat.
Well that got me thinking. And I reached for my calculator. 75,000 claims costing £21m.
That works out at £280 per claim.
For a head-on-collision.
Must be accidents involving Fiat cars then.
According to the report in This is Wiltshire, warnings are being issued to motorists in the New Year to slow down whilst driving in the New Forest.
The reason?
Deer.
Yep, apparently, head-on collisions with deer are leading to insurance claims of more than £21 million each year across the UK.
Apparently, every year an estimated 75,000 deer are struck by cars in the UK, but Jamie Cordery, the south-east deer liaison officer for the Deer Initiative, said that, despite the high number of deaths, the population of deer in the New Forest is not yet under threat.
Well that got me thinking. And I reached for my calculator. 75,000 claims costing £21m.
That works out at £280 per claim.
For a head-on-collision.
Must be accidents involving Fiat cars then.
Thursday, 22 November 2007
More silly accidents
My, I've certainly started something now!
My piccies from last week seem to have struck a chord witrh some of my pals from the industry - and they've kindly sent me some of their favourites.
they're the kind of photos that make you want to say "Errrr .... just how did ....."!!
My piccies from last week seem to have struck a chord witrh some of my pals from the industry - and they've kindly sent me some of their favourites.
they're the kind of photos that make you want to say "Errrr .... just how did ....."!!
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