Birmingham named national hotspot for motor fraud

BIRMINGHAM has been named as the worst area in the country for ‘crash for cash’ crime.

The crimes are where targeted drivers are deliberately forced off the road by staged accidents and then drivers demand cash from the innocent motorist in return for not pursing the matter through an insurance claim, largely because the criminals are falsely insured.

Insurance company Aviva said a new report had shown a quarter of its 3,000 crash for cash claims last year were made in Birmingham, with the B11 postcode area – which includes  Sparkbrook, Sparkhill and Tyseley – a particular hotspot.

The high instances place it ahead of North London, East London, Leeds and Harrow, which occupy the slots immediately after Birmingham.

The remaining towns and cities in the top 10 of the worst affected areas are: North West London, Bradford, Luton, Coventry and Oldham.

However, postcodes in Worcester, Margate and Leicester are also found to be rising hotspots, which the company said tended to suggest the problems were migrating.

The insurer said induced accidents now accounted for nearly half of all its organised motor fraud.

It is also genuine motorists who bear the brunt of the problems through increased premiums.