Undercover reporters from The Sun had meetings with gang frontman Bash who boasted he had supplied more than 100 drivers with fake certificates
A GANG selling forged proof of no-claims bonuses has been exposed by The Sun.
The papers are faked by an insurance insider and can be used to cover up accidents for which drivers were at fault.
The scam saves them thousands of pounds when applying for a new policy.
But honest motorists pick up the bill. Detected fraud adds around £50 to car insurance each year.
The forgeries also mean bad drivers stay on the roads putting others at risk.
We paid £440 for two fake certificates with nine years’ no-claims. One appeared to come from Axa. The other from Co-op Insurance.
Gang frontman Bash, from Birmingham, says he has supplied more than 100 drivers with fake certificates.
He boasted: “Ferraris, Lambos, a Rolls-Royce, you name it. New taxi drivers that couldn’t get insured — I’ve given them ten years. I look after them.
“I’ve done probably half the ice cream vans in Birmingham!”
Bash also bragged he could get bogus MOTs and real driving licences.
He added: “I used to do disabled tax discs but it’s too much of a headache.”
The frontman said he had never had a problem with the papers, adding of the forger: “He’s a proper broker. One hundred per cent.
“I know people that’s charging £400 to people.
“I have one customer who comes from Germany every two or three months.
“I’ve got a guy doing papers out in Romania.”
Bash advised us to take the papers to smaller insurers, claiming they make fewer checks. No-claims forgeries are among insurance frauds worth £3billion each year. Only a third are detected.
Tory MP Ian Stewart MP, who has campaigned on the problem and sits on the Commons Transport Committee, welcomed our probe.
He said: “This is very concerning to hear. It inflates premiums for ordinary motorists.
“It also causes a road safety issue if people are on the roads when they have been in multiple accidents.
“This is worthy of further investigation.”
Tory Steve Double MP, who is also on the committee, added: “Industry needs to work with government to close these loopholes.
“I’m sure we can use The Sun’s findings to inform any further action.”
The Association of British Insurers’ said: “Getting caught could lead to problems in obtaining other financial products. Honesty really is the only policy.”
The Insurance Fraud Bureau warned the no-claims fraud is linked to other scams such as ghost broking — the creation of completely fake policies.
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau has set up a no-claims discount database to counter fraud but Axa and the Co-op are not signed up.
Both firms promised to act after they were shown the dodgy no-claims documents.
Our dossier was also passed to West Midlands Police which is investigating.
