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Spettro is a highly successful and dynamic Insurance claim and Building repair organisation. The business has been established for over 38 years and specialises in buildings insurance claims management as well as asbestos removal and other property related services. Spettro has set very high standards of business management and customer service which is available UK-wide due to our network of Spettro regional offices. Our excellent reputation is reflected through the case studies on this website.

Spettro manage buildings insurance claims for fire, flood, water leaks, theft, storm and impact damage. The business consistently focuses on meeting and exceeding customer expectations, delivering a level of service excellence that the brand demands and client feedback forms can be viewed on request to confirm our level of expertise.

 




 

Deception, Exaggeration and Invention

Insurers are fighting back in the war against fraud with the help of Spettro’s buildings insurance assessment and repair specialists. With the cost of insurance fraud now estimated to be £5.2 million every day, according to a report* published this month by the Association of British Insurers (ABI), insurers are detecting more of the fraud being committed. Insurance fraud now adds, on average, an extra £44 a year to every household’s general insurance costs.

An independent opinion survey into public attitudes towards insurance fraud of over 3,000 adults revealed that: 

  • 16% would not rule out making an exaggerated insurance claim.
  • Just over four in 10 (44%) think it acceptable or borderline behaviour to increase the value of an item when claiming. Three in 10 feel the same way about overstating the extent of any damage being claimed for.
  • Those in the North East and the West Midlands appear the most tolerant towards insurance fraud. One in four in the North East would not rule out making a fraudulent claim. And more people in the North East and the West Midlands see inflating the value of an item, or adding an item to a claim, as acceptable or borderline behaviour than elsewhere in the UK.   


Cheats exposed recently include:  

  • A policyholder claimed for the theft of DVDs that he said had been bought locally, despite the fact that they had yet to be released in the UK.
  • Similarly, a man who claimed for damage to a 42-inch LCD TV had his claim rejected as he said he purchased it before it actually came onto the market.
  • A woman claimed for the theft of her campervan, even though it had been written off beyond repair ten years previously.
  • A personal injury claim was exposed when the claimant was filmed driving and shopping, despite his assertion that he was virtually housebound.
  • A claimant was found in contempt of court and fined £2,500 for inflating a claim of damages for personal injury.


Nick Starling, the ABI’s Director of General Insurance and Health, said, “There is no hiding place for insurance cheats. Honest customers should not have to pay for the fraudsters. The tough approach taken by insurers to protect honest customers means that they are detecting more of the fraud committed. Closer scrutiny of proposal forms and claims, as well the exchange of information through industry-wide databases, is tightening the net on the cheats.”     

Kevin England, one of the directors at Spettro, explains why homeowners should think twice before making a fraudulent claim, “Insurers still consider this a serious offence and if you are convicted of insurance fraud you will not only find it difficult to get buildings and home insurance in the future but also any other financial services products and support.”

“Our network of franchisees are not automatically looking for discrepancies in a claim as they assess damage to a property but they will become clear with the technology we use nowadays.”

* The survey of 3,031 adults was conducted by YouGov Financial Services between 12-15 June 2009. The full report can be downloaded from the ABI web site, www.abi.org.uk.
 

26th Aug 2009 | Permalink