One of the outcomes of the recession is the increased level of fraudulent claims against employers and other business providers

Launching a claim for injury or damage can often seem an easy way of making money for cash strapped individuals. They are constantly being bombarded by advertisements from accident compensation companies telling them how easy it is to make money at no risk and little hassle.

All too simply, that niggling back pain which can easily be forgotten when there is plenty of work can become a real earner when work is not so plentiful. Employers especially in the building trades are increasingly being sued by ex-employees that suddenly are unable to work because of an old injury.

The same situation applies to local authorities, shopping centre owners and any business that owns or occupies an area where the public has access and slips and trips can occur. Some desperate people feign injures or even injure themselves deliberately to obtain compensation.

Insurers are well aware of this recession related phenomenon and are well trained to manage such claimants. However, it is important that businesses safeguard themselves as much as possible by having a well-documented system to record everything that happens.

Every incident, however trivial, should be recorded in an accident record book and where possible witnesses names taken and recorded. The more details that are taken at the time of the incident the better. You should take pictures of the site of any accident if you can. Records should be kept as long as possible as claims can be made up to three years later.

If you have any suspicion the incident could lead to a claim, let us know immediately. The insurance industry has a number of databases that can be searched to check personal information and identify fraudsters. The sooner this is done the better.

Fraudulent claims can cost you dearly. They are time consuming and can lead to higher premiums, and in some cases, difficulty in getting cover. It is better to be prepared than to try and reconstruct an event sometime later.