Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Shutterstock/Monchai2497

'We've seen people diving on the floor' - Brokers want a register of insurance claimants

Jonathan Hehir, Managing Director of the CFM Group says that the idea “needs to happen” as it harms businesses.

INSURANCE BROKERS HAVE called for an accelerating of the establishment of a register of insurance claimants.

CFM Group, which is one of Ireland’s largest brokerage firms, wants Financial Services Minister Eoghan Murphy to speed up the establishment of the insurance claims register.

They say this will help combat “trip and trick” claimants – people who intentionally fall or trip in public in order to make claims.

The company says the register will fight “professional insurance claimants”, who, they believe, are making a substantial living from falsifying multiple claims with the aim of being compensated by insurance pay-outs.

Jonathan Hehir, Managing Director of the CFM Group says that the idea “needs to happen” as it harms businesses.

“There is a relatively small, but very active and dangerous cohort of people out there who engage in the practice of falsifying insurance claims.

This has the knock-on effect of putting upward pressure on insurance premiums – be they motor or commercial – as insurers endeavour to recoup the losses made on the back of these claims pay-outs.

CFM say that Irish businesses and motorists are being “plagued” by a high number of claims from a relatively small number of reoffending serial claimants who are systematically claiming for false injury or false liable. They want a confidential register that claims managers can consult.

Hehir says the company has seen people who go out of their way to make claims – including some who attempt to be apprehended in shops to allow them to claim for defamation.

We’ve seen cases of people literally diving on the floor or pretending to trip over something, or they are pretending to steal items from the store but when questioned they accuse the shop assistant/ owner of defamation.

“From what we see on the ground, a significant portion of these cases, possibly the majority, in some shops are intentionally planned by ‘Legal criminals’ that have invariably benefited from similar exercises in the past. Legal criminals are the smart ones – instead of breaking the law, they recognise how stupid the law is and make a tidy living manipulating it in their favour”.

Read: Older people overpaying €1,000 for health insurance as they’re ‘afraid to switch plan’

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
28 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute colm connolly
    Favourite colm connolly
    Report
    Mar 29th 2012, 10:50 AM

    It’s a disgrace that they tell the Irish staff they have no money to pay them when half the English stores are still trading

    62
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jay funk
    Favourite Jay funk
    Report
    Mar 29th 2012, 1:07 PM

    Also PwC charge Game more in a week than all outstanding wages

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Stanley
    Favourite Tony Stanley
    Report
    Mar 29th 2012, 10:59 AM

    I’m probably going to get shot down for this but this is exactly why we need unions regardless of how corrupt we all assume they are!

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute jimbo
    Favourite jimbo
    Report
    Mar 29th 2012, 10:59 AM

    Dont take any crap and fight it all the way

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darren Brady
    Favourite Darren Brady
    Report
    Mar 29th 2012, 12:21 PM

    Let’s not forget guys, you still have all that company stock……..

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jay funk
    Favourite Jay funk
    Report
    Mar 29th 2012, 1:08 PM

    Yhea sell the games and keep the cash

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Figo murphy
    Favourite Figo murphy
    Report
    Mar 29th 2012, 1:23 PM

    Wii should help

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Adam O'Sullivan
    Favourite Adam O'Sullivan
    Report
    Mar 29th 2012, 1:40 PM

    I hope La Senza dropped over some nice underwear to the game staff cause they’re being screwed!

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter
    Favourite Peter
    Report
    Mar 29th 2012, 12:25 PM

    I hope they get a deal out of this

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nim Zed
    Favourite Nim Zed
    Report
    Mar 29th 2012, 1:42 PM

    Absolute disgrace! What an awful offhand way to lose your job.

    But my question is: …so will they be selling off stock cheap? I need a new xbox controller, and one of those throat mics…

    7
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds