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GPs and other professionals who help insurance fraudsters make false or exaggerated claims are to be targeted by a new anti-fraud initiatives.

As part of a nationwide £9million initiative, a specialist unit will be working to identify those who help organised gangs commit acts of fraud.

The Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) will be run by the City of London Police. Its aim is to seek out criminal networks that work side by side with so-called ‘enablers’; people who have compromised their professional integrity in pursuit of illegal profits. Assisted by, for example, a GP organised fraud gangs are able to make false whiplash claims from orchestrated car crashes with ease.

“Fraud is a huge issue in the UK and the notion that professionals such as doctors, accountants and solicitors are aiding organised criminals in making false insurance claims is of serious concern,” said Jane Peters who is head of Operations at AGS Risk Solutions. She added: “Insurance fraud adds a significant amount to the everyone’s insurance policies. This is not just a corporate issue but one which affects us all.”

Nick Starling, the ABI’s director of general insurance, said: “Now more than ever anyone making a dishonest insurance claim is not only more likely to get caught, but risks getting a criminal record and certainly more expensive and harder to obtain insurance and other financial products in the future.”