GARDAI WILL PROBE BOGUS STORM CLAIMS
New squad formed to root out fraudulent losses
BOGUS insurance claims in the wake of Hurricane Ophelia could be investigated by a special Garda squad, it emerged yesterday. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said work on the new unit is at an “advanced stage” adding that it would be paid for by the industry. He was speaking at Insurance Ireland’s fraud conference in Dublin as the country recovers from Hurricane Ophelia and braces itself for Storm Brian this weekend. The damage is only now being assessed but claims are set to run into hundreds of millions of euro and it’s feared dishonest claims could be made which ultimately pushes everyone’s premiums up. Mr Flanagan said the culture of turning a blind eye to criminality are over. He added: “The effects of Ophelia earlier this week demonstrated how important it is to have sufficient cover. “But where there is a general need, such as the need for insurance cover, there is usually an opportunity for exploitation and abuse and in this case fraud. Insurance fraud ranges from the opportunistic to the very organised. “For many years, it appeared that Irish society was prepared to tolerate people taking an opportunity to exaggerate claims in order to increase financial reward. “However, this attitude appears to be changing in more recent times. “The e scalating costs of insurance cover in recent years has undoubtedly led many people to change their mindset, as it is clear exaggerated, opportunistic insurance fraud is one of the factors contributing to those rising premiums which have affected people so severely.” Mr Flanagan said that a cost-of-insurance working group had been established and the new fraud squad was one of the first measures to arise from this. He added: “A recommendation relating to fraud is the proposal that the insurance industry would fund a dedicated unit within An Garda Siochana to focus solely on preventing and detecting insurance fraud. “While this proposal is not without its challenges, I understand that talks between Insurance Ireland and the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau about the initial proposal are at an advanced stage,. “So I can assure you all here today that fraud, and particularly insurance fraud, is an issue that I am actively seeking to address. “It is also a priority for my colleagues in government and for An Garda Siochana.”
STORM Brian will today batter the country with winds in some parts as strong as those seen during Hurricane Ophelia.
Met Eireann has given a number of coastal counties a Status Orange warning – the second highest. Mayo, Galway, Clare, Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Wexford could see winds of up to 50mph and gusts of between 70mph and 80mph. Brian was expected to make landfall at 3am with the weather alerts in place until 6pm. A Status Yellow warning has been issued for the rest of the country with average wind speeds of 40mph and gusts expected to reach 70mph. Meanwhile, a separate Yellow rainfall warning is in place for counties Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Waterford with up to 50mm predicted. As thousands of homes remain without power, mainly in the South and South-west of the country, there were concerns last night that Brian could hamper repairs. ESB spokesman Paul Hand said yesterday: “Anything with a warning and with winds of 80mph will do fairly extensive damage to the electricity network. “You’re not talking about anything like Ophelia but we’re just advising people not to be complacent of this particular storm. “If there’s one thing we want to emphasise it’s really around staying clear of overhead lines and to report damage to 1850 372999.” Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government said they continue to engage with service providers, including Irish Water and ESB Networks. He added: “Given wind strengths and timing, we are of the view [Storm Brian] does not present exceptional public safety issues. “However, it is likely to impact on ESB work and may increase the current number of customers without power upwards again.” An ESB spokesman last night said supply had been restored to 8,000 more homes, farms and businesses, leaving 29,000 without power. Meteorologist Gerry Murphy yesterday warned Brian will hit west Kerry and Cork particularly hard. Cork County Council issued a potential flooding warning as tidal surges were expected last night following the rain which had begun at 11am. The ESB and local authorities were also working yesterday to control the River Shannon. There was significant localised flooding in several tributaries while the River Brosna burst its bank close to a shopping centre car park in Mullingar, Co Westmeath.