Green slip insurance claims are falling after police raids on alleged refugee scammers

EXCLUSIVE: GREEN slip insurance claims in NSW have plummeted after a police crackdown on scammers and government reforms.

• COPS CRIPPLE ‘CTP GREEN SLIP FRAUD GANG’
• MORE NSW GREEN-SLIP FRAUDSTERS NABBED

GREEN slip insurance claims have plummeted after a police crackdown on scammers and government reforms aimed at streamlining the process.

Claims are down 29 per cent year on year after police raids on alleged refugee scammers believed to be cheating millions out of the compulsory third-party insurance scheme.

The large drop, which includes a 47 per cent increase in the withdrawal of claims, also comes after the government announced plans to no longer let minor claims be taken through the courts.

The proposed reforms have passed through Parliament, with the government saying motorists will see their bills drop by more than $120 by the end of the year.

A man is arrested in Liverpool over Green Slip fraud. Picture: Police Media

For the four weeks commencing April 10, there were 845 CTP claims statewide, compared to 1197 in the corresponding time last year, the government says. From February to April, 47 per cent more claims have been withdrawn compared to last year — up from 346 to 508.

The government has said fraud contributes $75 to every Green Slip bill in NSW and says its reforms, under which minor injuries will receive set weekly payments with restrictions, can bring bills down by more than $120.

On April 6, The Daily Telegraph revealed organised crime syndicates led by Iraqi refugees on temporary protection visas, as well as Afghan and Vietnamese criminals, were behind a wave of car accident insurance fraud. So far police have made five arrests and laid 69 charges in relation to alleged fraud worth $6.2 million.

The government has said fraud contributes $75 to every Green Slip bill in NSW. Picture: Police Media

“There doesn’t appear to be any other rational explanation for the number of claims withdrawn, other than the reforms we’ve announced and the arrests made as part of the police strike force,” Finance Minister Victor Dominello said.

“The figures don’t lie. The police have done an incredible job uncovering this activity and disrupting the business model. By cracking down on the crooks and dissuading people from lodging fraudulent claims, we are delivering a fairer, more affordable CTP green slip scheme.”