ONE of Ireland’s leading insurers has confirmed it is investigating a major ‘organised ring’ involved in the staging of road crashes in Donegal.
A spokesperson for AXA told the Donegal News that, in ‘recent times’, it has identified illegal operations here and in Cork and Galway where 190 people have submitted personal injury claims in what investigators suspect are 35 ‘staged’ accidents.
“In particular in the Donegal, we have 36 ongoing investigations into claims involving Donegal policyholders,” a spokesperson for its specialist fraud department.
The spokesperson declined to elaborate further on their investigations while local Gardai confirmed that, on request, they furnish ‘abstract’ reports of collisions to various insurance companies.
This paper is also aware that a number of suspect personal injury cases taken against insurance companies through the local courts, were dropped when a challenge was mounted.
AXA Insurance has been at the forefront in the fight against insurance fraud in this country.
Their Special Investigation Unit, established in 2002, was the first dedicated unit set up to tackle this particular issue.
Headed by former Detective Superintendent at the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, Mr Colm Featherstone, it is staffed with 19 employees of varying professions who work closely with their in house legal team.
For full report, see Friday’s Donegal News or subscribe to our digital edition.
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