As an insurance broker value customer service, going to great lengths to obtain low cost, high standard car insurance policies for all of our customers. However, not all insurance companies work with the same ethos, with lots of rogue traders making efforts to practice illegally. The latest organisation to feel the wrath of the law was a six-man company operating in London, quoted to have tried to defraud nearly 6million pounds from the UK insurance industry. These convictions come off the back of an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service supported by Zurich Insurance, Direct Line Insurance Group and the Insurance Fraud Bureau. How they did it Having set up a claims management company the six men dealt with fraudulent or inflated insurance claims as well as submitting following crash-for-cash collisions, which had been coordinated by them. Detective chief superintendent Paul Rickett, roads and transport policing command, said: "This was an audacious, criminal act, carried out by unscrupulous people whose sole aim was to line their pockets at the expense of their victims. They did not care whatsoever that their reckless acts endangered the lives of innocent people. "We are committed to detecting, disrupting and arresting those involved in crime as demonstrated by our thorough and robust investigation, which left no stone unturned in catching these offenders." Working together to fight fraud With some of the UK’s top insurers joining forces with the police the fraudsters had no option but to hold their hands up to the crimes committed, and with a strong focus being places n insurance firms of late we expect news of a long sentencing in October of this year. Scott Clayton, claims fraud and investigations manager at Zurich Insurance, said: "Convictions such as these demonstrate the value of collaboration between insurers and the Metropolitan Police. We are delighted that the perpetrators of this fraud have been brought to justice." Mark Chiappino, counter fraud manager with Direct Line Group, said: "Insurance fraud of this nature is far from a victimless crime and there has been at least one innocent fatality following a "crash-for-cash" incident. "It is estimated by the Association of British Insurers to add £50 a year to the average household's insurance premiums, to cover the cost of paying fraudulent insurance claims." He added: "At Direct Line Group, we detect and deter as much fraud as possible, from a collaborative approach including sophisticated data analysis, the use of intelligence and highly skilled investigators, across our whole business. "We work with all law enforcement agencies to assist them in preparing cases for criminal prosecution. Successful prosecutions like this one, protects the wider public from these scams and enables us to protect the premiums of our innocent customers." Let us know what you think, is prison a fair penalty?