IFED cops get conviction for Zurich Porsche fraudster

The Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) has secured a cash for crash conviction after the driver of a Porsche admitted to deliberately causing a crash with a council van on a dual carriageway so he could make fraudulent insurance claims.

The case came to court after Zurich, the insurer of Doncaster Council’s van, became suspicious after a collision involving 42-year-old Mark Smith, of Moat House Way in Doncaster, who submitted claims to his insurer and Zurich.

Smith’s insurer paid out more than £25,000 to cover outstanding debts on the Porsche, and a further £600 directly to him. But Zurich was not convinced by Smith’s claim for car hire expenses of more than £22,000 and whiplash injuries in excess of £15,000, so took him to a civil court in May 2011 where his claim was thrown out. At this point, Zurich referred the case to IFED.

CCTV footage of the contrived accident showed Smith’s Porsche make an emergency stop, causing the council van to drive straight into the back of it. The Porsche is then seen moving onto the kerb and, shortly after, heading out of the tunnel with little damage.

Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation for manufacturing the collision in Doncaster in January 2009 so he could claim about £100,000 from insurers for damage to his car, along with whiplash injuries.

Smith had originally denied staging the crash, stating it was caused by his bad driving, admitting only to submitting two bogus insurance claims.

At the Old Bailey on 7 March, Smith was given a six-month jail term suspended for two years and ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work in the community.

IFED detective constable Kate Sibley said: “Smith must have thought a fancy car and clever plan would be the easy route to securing tens of thousands of pounds from insurers.

“The fact he was putting lives at risk by causing a crash, on a busy road, did not put the brakes on his fraud. He wanted this money and was prepared to go the distance to get it.

“But what Smith did not count on was IFED and the insurance industry working together to expose criminals who think insurance fraud is an easy way to boost their bank balance.”

Zurich claims fraud and investigations manager Scott Clayton said: “We are pleased that Mr Smith has admitted his crime and been prosecuted. Zurich takes a zero-tolerance approach towards fraud in general, especially when it also involves dangerous driving which puts innocent people in danger.”