Panarama , BBC 1 , on now.........anyone else watching ?
no - what is the great swindle?
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
no - what is the great swindle?
! 
I bet Bradford is mentioned
that they're over charging everyone?
when i first got my car, i was paying £380 a year, now 4 years later, £600... renewal next week... lol might need a word with them
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
no - what is the great swindle?
quote:
Originally posted by RoadkillUK
I bet Bradford is mentioned
quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
that they're over charging everyone?
So they didn't mention that the price of insurance is actually driving people to seriously consider bothering to bankrupt themselves? Just that people can make up fake injuries and the insurance companies are dumb enough to believe everyone?
quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
So they didn't mention that the price of insurance is actually driving people to seriously consider bothering to bankrupt themselves? Just that people can make up fake injuries and the insurance companies are dumb enough to believe everyone?
As with a lot of things it seems the actions of the few are hurting everyone- in this case it's people defrauding insurance companies (injury claims, overcharging for repairs, etc) that are pushing up everyones premiums.
The programme only told half the story. Insurance companies waste millions through sheer incompetence and disfunctionality. A mate of mine had his car
rear ended. The insurance co took 7 weeks to arrange to inspect the car, and write it off. Total payout £1,200. 7 weeks of Courtesy Car Rental £3,500!
I know of another guy who had a courtesy car for 9 months while all the professionals argued the toss and pocketed their fees.
Only 27% of insurance company payouts go toward repairing cars. Fake personal injury claims is a big part of the remainder ... but its not all.
And the best bit is that your "injury" details may have been sold by a copper/ambulance person or even the insurance co themselves!
ATB
Simon
quote:
Originally posted by Simon
And the best bit is that your "injury" details may have been sold by a copper/ambulance person or even the insurance co themselves!
ATB
Simon
NOTW springs to mind there 
quote:
Originally posted by Steve Hignett
quote:
Originally posted by Simon
And the best bit is that your "injury" details may have been sold by a copper/ambulance person or even the insurance co themselves!
ATB
Simon
Sold, by a copper?
probably not
The insurance scams do annoy me, but the companies are pretty crap at getting a good deal.
A few years back (about 10) my car broke down on the way to work. I didnt have my mobile with me, so walked a couple of hundred yards to a house and
called the AA to come and get me. Got to the car and found it stood on some bricks with the alloys and wheels missing. Got the AA man to take me to
work, phoned Peugeot for a price for the wheels, and tyres from my local motor factors, who collect the wheels, fit the tyres, pick me up, take me to
the car, fit the wheels and tow me in - all in about £650 and sorted that day, before lunch. The tyres had been on the car 3 days. I phoned the
insurers and gave them the details, and faxed the receipt for the tyres, and they agreed they would pay full cost as they were so new, and explained
that I wanted it done quick as I have a 45mile round trip to work and i didnt get a hire car. They said it had to be checked by their approved agent,
but it would be quick. After a week, the car was still sat half blocking the road where it had broken down. After much calling and being fobbed off, 6
weeks later they called to say the car was ready and would be dropped at work that day. I went to the car park, and the guy offloaded the car (still
has a failed head gasket at this point). He then gives me a bill for £700 which he says I have to pay before he'll give me the keys. What for? I
asked. "You have to pay half the cost of the new tyres mate" he replies. At this point I tell him to take the car away (not my exact words I
have to admit) then as I'm not paying and just walk back into work and call the insurers and yell a lot down the phone. Another 2 weeks pass and
I eventually get the car back without paying. Strangely the garage was not on the approved garages list afterwards. He'd billed the insurance
company 2K and tried to get £700 out of me as well. He put the alloys down at £300 each when they were £65 inc VAT from the main stealer!
Oh well, its only money
Hugh
It's the insurance co that sells the info to the ambo chasers!
Speaking of ambo's... anyone watch Sirens on Ch4? First time I've been mildly amused by anything on the telly for a while!
Would agree about the comapanies faffing far too much. When I was hit and claimed from the hitters comapny, I managed to bash out a deal very fast ONCE I got to the claims handler. He just wasted the quotes verbally, I offered to use my other car rather than a hire car, he agreed to send me a cheque. Job done, no legal fees, faffing or whatever. Shame it took several attempts to speak to a proper person. I suspect the deal I got saved them a fortune. Both parties happy.
I wonder if there is a market for an opt out when buying insurance. Something along the lines of:
"I agree not to claim for personal injury which cannot be independently verified by a medical doctor."
If you tick this box then your insurance risk could be reduced significantly and if you choose not to tick this box then you can pay even more for
that privilege. I for one would be more than happy to tick that box if it reduced my premiums by a significant amount.
Obviously this would require some reciprocation on the part of the insurance companies because if I have ticked that box and have an accident with
someone who hasn't ticked that box then my insurance company could still incur personal accident costs but if the insurance companies were to
work together on this I'm sure it would all even out.
Another option would be to make "personal accident cover" a completely optional extra just like legal cover, windscreen cover, hire car,
courtesy car etc etc.
my mate had the same story about a hire car for 6 months over a claim for a 1997 vectra worth £600 - the other driver had been charged with jumping a
red light amd they still wouldnt cough up.
That said, ive only claimed once, and it was nice and easy. We did have (and still do) have scum texting us about nonexistant personal injury. I think
that they were quite please when i told them i only wanted my excess, a new infant seat, and one single week of hire car (even though it was 3 weeks
til i coughed up to buy a new one).