OPP lay charges in alleged staged collision

Anya Tamir

Harry, I certainly understand your frustration. Insurers however have a full discretion to deny that the accident occurred or request repayment of benefits. With respect to the abovenoted investigation, it will be interesting to see whether any convictions will in fact be entered.

Posted May 26, 2010 07:16 PM

Flavio Battilana

Way to Go! OPP. This is great news! We need law enforcement to increase its attention on white collar crime, and this story is a step in the right direction. We need to start attacking white collar crime, which is attacking our social fiber called trust. Insurance is for the purpose of helping those that need help, not those that are weak in character. The administration needs to fight back...a criminal is a criminal!

Posted May 25, 2010 12:03 PM

harry

I have been in the claims business for a long time. This is a rare occasion when someone is charged. I have dealt with literally hundreds of fraudulent accident benefit claims. Unfortunately the claims examiners pay the claims because it is expedient. The insurance companies want to hire people at a low wage so they end up with third rate employees who don't have the smarts as to how to handle the claims. The rehab clinics, drs, chiros paralegals and lawyers are all in on it. At FSCO madiations the govt mediator trys everything to have the insurer make an offer no matter how bad the claim looks. I spoke to a tow truck driver who told me that he gets $2000 for bringing in patients to the clinic. A trick they use is they promise to get the driver who is involved in the accident a rental car. They then drop him into a clinic to "wait" until he returns with the rental. By then the chiro has done an assessment, completed a disability certificate and has booked treatment appointments. In a fire claim if the insured lies about any part of his claim then the entire claim can be denied. In an accident benefit claim they can lie all they want, you can only successfully deny that particular benefit that they lied about. In the end only the insurance companies are to blame, they do not adequately staff their claims department in order to save on wages. They hire incompetent claims people because they work cheap. I predict that this system will never change.

Posted May 21, 2010 08:21 PM