Fraudulent Claims on the Rise in Illinois
In just over 9 years Jonathan Jones has had 42 auto accidents.
"Maybe I should have been more careful. Maybe...well, all right. I defintely should have beenmore careful," Jones said.
But Jones has been video taped staging the car accidents. Inside Eidtion recently reported on Jones as being a con man who stages these accidents and then makes bogus claims with insurance companies.
The "Inside Edition" report show s Jone's driving behind another car and accelerating to catch up with the other vehicle. He follows the other car into a Wal-Mart parking lot, hits the other car and then blames the driver of the other car for causing an accident.
Stage accidents such as the ones Jones' has been involved in have been on the increase according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Since 2007, questionable claims have are up over 40% with Florida having the most claims from accidents which were staged.
Stage accidents are usually the work of a network of people including compensation witnesses, drivers and passengers and medical providers who will file claims for "treatment."
The cost of auto insurance fraud adds on average $250 to the cost of an annual policy according to Joanne Helperin at Edmunds.com.
After the "Inside Edition" report Jones was charged with 11 counts of insurance and 9 counts of assault with a deadly weapon for using his car to hit drivers.
