“We therefore urge drivers to be vigilant for the types of driving patterns that indicate fraud and above all, if unfortunate enough to be involved in an incident, accurately record key details.”

A spokesman for the Insurance Fraud Bureau adds: “If you are suspicious, don’t put yourself in any danger.

"Remember, these scams are operated by organised criminal gangs, so if you have any doubts, tell the police and your insurer.”

What to tell your drivers

• Stay calm. You’ll need to swap details with other drivers whatever happens
• If you suspect you have been involved in a staged accident, do not say anything other than ‘it is a matter for our insurance companies’
• If you’re suspicious, don’t ask them directly about it at the scene but keep careful notes
• If anyone is injured, call the police. If you are suspicious about the incident, tell the police
• Take as many pictures as possible of the accident, including the driver, passengers, vehicle and damage
• The identity of the driver is crucial so take a good description
• Establish how many passengers are in the other car and take a good description of them
• Try to find an independent witness for the accident, but be wary of any witnesses quick to offer their services as they may be corrupt
• Take note of any other cars involved, including damage and registration numbers
• If you suspect the accident was intentional, inform your insurance company at the earliest opportunity

Case study: Interserve

For Jas Dhanda, fleet manager of Interserve, speed and accuracy of reporting is a critical factor in defending against fraudulent claims.
Drivers are given clear guidance on the information they need to take down following an incident so the company has the best possible chance of spotting suspect incidents.

He says: “We advise drivers to take certain details down about the incident and also try to obtain witnesses where possible.

“The main factor is to report the incident as soon as possible so we can inform the necessary insurers or our claims handlers to investigate quickly.”

Interserve’s fleet team and insurers also have a series of questions they work through for each incident to identify anything that might be suspicious.

These cover areas such as the number of passengers, circumstances of the crash, speed and who might be at fault. These are provided to claims handlers, along with a view on who is to blame.

By providing detailed feedback, the company believes it has the best chance to combat any fraudulent activity.

Dhanda says: “Just reporting incidents, whether on the phone or via a claim form, is too black and white and sometimes further supporting comments are required. Ensure you manage your insurers with the true facts rather than reply on a claim form.”

Incidents they have faced have included a motorway crash where a car slammed its brakes on without warning in the outside lane. The intended target behind managed to swerve and avoid the crash, but one of the fleet’s vans collided with the suspect vehicle.

Through well-managed processes, the driver of the car that avoided the incident has been secured as a witness.