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False insurance claims by bar and pub goers are costing the leisure industry up to £13 million a year.
Specialist bar and club insurer Marsh & Co. has found that almost 50% of the UK’s nightclubs have fallen victim to false insurance claims from a patron in the past year.
No-win-no-fee legal representation has made it easier for fraudulent individuals to litigate against nightclub owners with spurious and trivial insurance claims.
Marsh & Co. has found the most commonly reported false incidents come from patrons claiming they have slipped on a spilled drink.
One of the most ridiculous claims came from a patron who reported he had damaged his hand on the bar, only for CCTV footage to show he had caused a brawl and his injuries were sustained by throwing the first punch.
Without video evidence leisure industry members have found it increasingly difficult to prove that these false incidents have not occurred and are being forced to pay out hundreds of thousands of pounds, mainly in out of court settlements.
A leading underwriter, specialising in the leisure insurance sector, commented: “CCTV footage is proving invaluable to the leisure industry as it not only enhances a leisure facility’s reputation by promoting a safe environment for the staff and patrons, but deters fraudsters from claiming false incidents, lowering a licensed establishment’s insurance premium and the level of excess it has to pay.”
Insurance rates for licensed establishments with fully operational CCTV cameras installed can be up to 200% less, with an excess of only £1,000 compared to £5,000 for a venue without appropriate video recording facilities.
Gary Hunt, managing director of the Brook Leisure Group, says: “As any nightclub owner will tell you, building and maintaining an establishment’s reputation takes a lot of time and effort. Fraudsters prey on clubs that make themselves easy targets by not installing the right equipment. The cost of installing CCTV is irrelevant, compared to the cost of an out of court settlement to protect your club’s reputation.”
For further information on how to protect your premises from fraudulent claims and for ways to reduce your insurance premium visit www.marshbarandclubinsurance.co.uk or see Marsh & Co.’s Bar & Club Direct at Bar 06, Earls Court, 6th-7th June 2006.
For further media information CONTACT Holly-Marie Draper at hopwood PR on 0116 2544472
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