The credit crunch means that fraudulent insurance claims are very much on the increase at present, with bodyshops often the unwitting accomplices. In the UK, the Association of British Insurers, found 24,000 fraudulent cases last year and estimate that false claims could be costing as much as £5 million per week.

The number of detected dishonest motor claims is estimated to have risen by 70% over the last three years, reaching a new high in 2007. These may however only be the tip of the iceberg and with economic conditions declining, the insurance industries in Britain and Ireland can expect even more fraudulent claims in 2008.