Insurance Fraud Documentary

Victor

Maybe I should have put this in "Humour".

CIE battling to see off suspect compo solicitors
From:The Irish Independent
Wednesday, 26th March, 2003
Marese McDonagh

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/421929?view=Eircomnet

THE semi-state company CIE targets a number of solicitors for special investigation when they submit compensations claims to CIE because of their track record in this controversial area, it has emerged.

The company pays out €20m a year in compensation, which it says could put 60 new buses on the road. It has "special rules" for the solicitors on its hitlist.

CIE's claims investigators have been furnished with a list of solicitors who are "well known" to the company, with instructions to watch them carefully when they submit claims on behalf of clients, an RTE 'Prime Time' investigation will reveal tomorrow night.

One of the most notorious claims it faced involved a man who claimed to have suffered serious neck and back injuries, but who was filmed bungee jumping by private investigators following an anonymous tip-off.

Other controversial footage which will be screened by 'Prime Time' features a woman doing a cartwheel after claiming €125,000 for severe back and leg injuries; and a man filmed climbing over a wall to avoid paying a train fare, despite having claimed to be "crippled for life".

The programme reports on claims rings alleged to have sprung up throughout Dublin involving organised groups who submit multiple claims against the city council.

A claims investigator described how the scam works, with someone without a claims history claiming damages with the assistance of "witnesses" who have previously sued the local authority.

The report highlights one family, nine of whom have made claims against the city council.

Dublin City Council now pays out €8m a year in compensation.

Tralee is described as a compensation "blackspot" in the report which details the case of one 10-year-old boy whose third claim against the local town council is pending. Tralee urban council spends €1m a year on insurance, which it says could house eight families or maintain the town park for five years.

Reporter Ken O'Shea highlights the concerns of business people who have seen their insurance premiums soar in recent years, forcing some to the brink of closure. One chief executive reveals his staff work two months out of every 12 just to pay the premium.

His insurance premium rocketed by 100pc this year. "At least Dick Turpin had the manners to wear a mask when he went out to rob," he says.

The director of another small company revealed she had to lay off four of her seven staff in order to pay her insurance premium, despite having had no claims over 10 years.

The owner of a bar and night club says he gets a solicitor's letter at least once a week claiming that a client has been injured on his premises. He "battles" every claim and so far has had to pay out nothing.

O'Shea confronts a woman who claimed €2m after saying she was "totally incapacitated" after a car accident. After a private investigator filmed her driving a jeep, pushing a buggy and carrying shopping she settled for €45,000.

The insurance industry points the finger at the legal profession saying that more than 40pc of their total annual payout is swallowed up in legal fees.

One medical expert admitted the profession needs to "examine its own soul" and demand a higher level of proof when confirming reported injuries.

It has been estimated that spurious claims cost €100m a year. The programme makers suggest exaggerated rather than outright fraudulent claims are the main problem.

The programme, 'Sue Nation', will be broadcast at 9.30 tomorrow night.

sceptre

One of the most notorious claims it faced involved a man who claimed to have suffered serious neck and back injuries, but who was filmed bungee jumping by private investigators following an anonymous tip-off.

Hehe, next time I see the Lemmon-Matthau classic "The Fortune Cookie" I'll think of him and chuckle.

b20uvkft6m5xwg

I saw the 1st 20mins-

Seeing that bloke from Tralee was hillarious if not slightly disturbing. What are the bets he claims social welfare as well!

The disturbing thing about it was the comparison of potential expenditure City Councils could be using the money set aside for Insurance Fraudsters on housing and Parks :mad:

voodoo

Yeah, this was a disgraceful and disturbing program!

The whole area of insurance is being exploited by greedy Lawyers in my opinion, who encourage suing for any small issue. It is horrific to think that our bloody tax-payers money is being put to fund blood-sucking thiefs!

No wonder all we ever seem to do is pay increased insurance for absolutely everything!!!

I feel sorry for any business owners who were subject to the increases in public insurance over the past few years...I have a friend whose building company almost went out of business....

b20uvkft6m5xwg

Originally posted by voodoo
Yeah, this was a disgraceful and disturbing program!

Agreed

Originally posted by voodoo
The whole area of insurance is being exploited by greedy Lawyers in my opinion, who encourage suing for any small issue. It is horrific to think that our bloody tax-payers money is being put to fund blood-sucking thiefs!

hold off on the anti-lawyers spiel.

They're not without blame but It takes two to tango and as was seen there is an indemic problem of "Rings" of people and Families par-taking in the fraud. Lawyers aren't out there dreaming up accidents to fake!

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

spongebob

Originally posted by 80project
Lawyers aren't out there dreaming up accidents to fake!

That should surely read

NOT ALL Lawyers ARE out there dreaming up accidents to fake!

some of them (along with some doctors) are most certainly a vital cog in the conspiracy to defracud networks.

M

b20uvkft6m5xwg

Originally posted by Muck
NOT ALL Lawyers ARE out there dreaming up accidents to fake!
M

You've taken that quote out of context-
I had in the same breath said they were not without blame.

80p

Victor

Related story - it even tries to vindicate the lawyers.

One has to worry about an organisation that gets premiums of €20.2m and pays out €37m in claims

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/514031?view=Eircomnet

3,199 people got €37m in accidents compensation
From:The Irish Independent
Wednesday, 9th April, 2003
Kathy Donaghy and Marese McDonogh

THE STATE'S insurance company paid out €37m to members of the public who took claims against the country's health boards and county councils last year.

As many local authorities struggle to meet insurance premiums, it emerged yesterday that the average cost per claim was a massive €11,615 in 2002.

A total of 3,199 individuals sued the country's public bodies, which also includes VECs, regional authorities and universities.

The Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurances (IPB), which also underwrites the insurances of county enterprise boards, paid out €37,159,000 for public liability claims last year. The company underwrites all the main classes of cover for its members, including public liability and employers' liability, as well as motor and theft. However, the figure of €37,159,000 is only in respect of public liability insurance.

The cost of safeguarding against claims by members of the public, including slips, trips and falls, is crippling many public bodies.

The insurers were actually forced to increase premiums from €18.7m in 1999 to €20.2m in 2001.

It is understood that one of the most significant changes in handling claims in recent years has been the rise in legal costs, now around 40pc of claims.

In relation to the country's local authorities, the majority of claims are for slips, trips and falls.

Meanwhile, the Law Society will fight "tooth and nail" to protect the right of people injured through the negligence of others to seek compensation, its president has pledged.

Geraldine Clarke was responding to recent publicity about fraudulent claims, in particular a "hackneyed" RTÉ 'Prime Time' investigation, which she said had noisily claimed to blow the lid on Ireland's "compo culture".

She described the programme as another salvo in "the on-going propaganda war being fought by vested interests" such as IBEC and the Irish Insurance Federation.

"The underlying objective is to undermine the rights of ordinary citizens, who have been injured through the negligence of others (usually members of the same vested interests) to seek compensation for their injuries," she claimed.

Writing in the current issue of the 'Law Society Gazette', she warned that victims should not be "intimidated" from seeking compensation to which they are entitled.

"I can assure you that the Law Society will fight tooth and nail to make sure that this assault on a fundamental right does not succeed."

She insisted society believes that anyone bringing fraudulent personal injury claims should be prosecuted and convicted, as should anyone who knowingly assists in bringing such a claim.

Ms Clarke said 'Prime Time' had "trumpeted" that it was aware of 20 or 30 solicitors who knowingly encourage and process false personal injury claims.

"Let me state this as bluntly as I can: anyone who brings a fraudulent claim should go to jail. That includes any solicitor who knowingly assists in bringing a fraudulent claim."

Ms Clarke said it was important to nail what she described as a subliminal message in the RTÉ programme. It had appeared to imply that the society turned a blind eye to fraudulent claims and to solicitors who help bring them.

"A tiny number of spurious and invented claims" was having a disproportionate effect on the system, she stated.

Furhter story http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/514039?view=Eircomnet