The trial by the UK's biggest mortgage lender is part of a series of measures designed to cut down fraudulent claims. HBOS spokesman Mark Hemingway told BBC News, "It won't be used in isolation and clearly it will be voluntary. Refusing to take part won't impact on the claim at all".
He added, "If it reduces fraud then that will impact on premiums and that will be good for everyone. Genuine claimants have nothing to fear."
The trial will assess between 300 and 400 claimants over the three-month period, according to the BBC, and will use a technology called voice stress analysis. This picks up on changes in the claimant's voice as he is questioned over the telephone. A stressed claimant may also be a fraudulent claimant, and worthy of further investigation.
However, as Mark Littlewood, campaign director for Liberty commented:
"Lie detector tests do not detect lies. All they do is indicate that someone is nervous, hesitant or under stress. Filing an insurance claim would induce stress in most of us."
Liberty called on HBOS to give categorical assurances that it would destroy any data it collects and not pass it on to any third party. The campaign group was also concerned that customers who have 'failed' the test be allowed to see their files and to insert any other information they think is valid.
Finally, said Liberty, customers must be made aware that they are being subjected to such tests.
