Just about everybody doing the business? Explaining 'cash-for-crash insurance fraud in the United Kingdom

Abstract

There is much international research on the different types of fraud committed by individuals and/or organised crime. There is, however, limited research on insurance fraud and a particular species of such fraud which has become known as ‘cash-for-crash’ fraud in the United Kingdom. In addition there are very few published studies of fraudsters which actually draw upon interviews with those that have committed the act(s). This paper bridges both of these gaps providing a focus upon ‘cash-for-crash’ fraudsters which is based upon empirical research drawn from six interviews with such offenders and a database of over 400 offenders built upon successful prosecutions of such cases in the United Kingdom. This paper offers a profile of such offenders and presents insights into why and how some people might become involved in ‘cash-for-crash’ type frauds.