Strange Phone Call regarding old Accident

chickendipperbabe

Just looking for some opinions on this:

Me and Mr Dipper were involved in a pretty nasty car accident in December 2012, we were not at fault and the third party admitted liability - We were both fine, car was damaged but repaired.

About an hour ago I received a Phone call informing me they were working on behalf of the third parties insurers and that I had a "premium" waiting for me, apparently I had three - one for the repair on our Car, one for the courtesy Car and one for money that was set aside for me and my husband (what the phone call was about)

I had an idea what it was for (accident compo) but the guy on the phone was very illusive and never mentioned claims for injury or anything like that, he was just asking me if I would like to claim my money today. We were approached by a few companies not long after we had the accident but they were open about who they were and what they wanted to do - we never did claim and don't intend to. Just very surprised this has suddenly cropped up after all this time. He knew specifics about the accident and it wasn't just a random call. I said I was busy and he's phoning back later on today when my partner will be home.

Anyone else had a "premium" waiting for them or is it, as I suspect another way to trick people into claiming for personal injury.

rs65

chickendipperbabe wrote: »

informing me they were working on behalf of the third parties insurers and that I had a "premium" waiting for me, apparently I had three - one for the repair on our Car, one for the courtesy Car and one for money that was set aside for me and my husband

Lies.

Probably just a random number dialler hoping to call someone who has had an accident.

If they were really calling from the TP insurer they would know the repairs had been paid for.

chickendipperbabe

Well he did know specifics, that we had a courtesy car, that our car had been repaired, the date of the accident and both mine and my husbands name. The phone call was just about the money, or premium as he put it.

InsideInsurance

chickendipperbabe wrote: »

Well he did know specifics, that we had a courtesy car, that our car had been repaired, the date of the accident and both mine and my husbands name. The phone call was just about the money, or premium as he put it.

Are you sure he knew specifics or did you tell him the specifics? The normal trick of these firms is to call you up about "your accident" and then you are the one that puts a date to it and they just play it back to you to give you confidence that he knows what he is talking about.

Data is for sale everywhere so sometimes they may know a little more if they've bought a cold list of names etc. A lot is down to simple guess work, if the accident was almost 3 years ago is 95% likely the repairs have already been done. Probably 80% of people have a replacement car when theirs is in for repairs and of cause the injury is what they are actually pitching for so thats the wild card they are hoping to snag.

Stevie_Palimo

Yes as above post by InsideInsurance, Will also add that details are sold/stolen from the Insurance firm/third partie insurer and other places ie:- garage that did the repairs the tow truck people who removed the car and possibly A&E in some cases.

chickendipperbabe

I'm quite careful when it comes to cold callers, he got no information from me at all. When I think back the guy who hit us had the same insurer.

Its all a bit hmmm, I think I'll press him a bit further when or if he calls back tonight and see what he says.

InsideInsurance

chickendipperbabe wrote: »

Its all a bit hmmm, I think I'll press him a bit further when or if he calls back tonight and see what he says.

He is simply fishing, hes working in a call centre that has bought a list of data. They then simply call each one in turn and falsely claim that there is money set aside to cover their claim. If someone says they are interested they then "pass" (aka sell) your details onto a claim firm who will then do a fairly quick and dirty PI claim against the TP

Archergirl

Be interested to hear how you get on if they call back, another reason why we all have to pay so much insurance on our cars.

chickendipperbabe

Well it was for a personal injury claim. He phoned back tonight and spoke to my partner and gave him the same spiel as he gave me, mentioning that the insurers have money for us waiting etc being evasive when he was asked who he was, what company he was working for - no mention of a personal injury claim etc. My OH fibbed and dropped it into the conversation we had put in an injury claim last year and had received a settlement, after that the guy couldn't get off the phone fast enough.

Hubby said he suspects the Nissan garage that fixed the car had something to do with it as it was mentioned.

Bonniepurple

I just say something along the lines of "Accident? What accident? My children were planned!" ;)They can't get away fast enough!:rotfl: