Special Investigation Unit (SIU)
The purpose of a special investigative unit is to assure the effective implementation of a dedicated team to educate, train, protect, detect, and communicate with insurers and law enforcement agencies regarding possible fraudulent claims. In many states, the SIU department can be contracted to a third party to operate on behalf of the insurer. Our services include:
Educating and training personnel in identifying patterns and trends of suspected fraudulent claims, effectively analyzing claim forms.
Interviews and other investigative techniques.
Prepare and submit district attorney insurance fraud referrals (packets).
Workers' Compensation Fraud
EMPLOYEE FRAUD: An employee knowingly files a claim for injury that did not occur at all or did not occur in the course and scope of employment.
BILLING FRAUD: Medical provider bills for services NOT rendered, or intentionally inflate charges for services, or bills for services provided by non-licensed or unqualified personnel.
PREMIUM FRAUD: Committed by an employer who intentionally under reports the number of claims or under reports the number of employees on the payroll.
EMPLOYER FRAUD: Employer denies benefits to an employee by not reporting claim or encouraging employee not to report claim.
MEDICAL FRAUD: Medical industry use of runners, cappers, providing kickbacks or other illegal sources associated with obtaining cases/claims.
Insurance Fraud Defined
Each state has their own legal definition but each shares common elements:
The misrepresentation may be presented orally or by document.
The false information presented must be MATERIAL to the case. In other words, it would have altered, changed, or modified the manner the claim was handled, investigated, evaluated, or settled.
The information must be presented with INTENT to defraud.
There must be a LIE which may be committed by an insured, Claimant, Witness, Party to a Claim, Insurer or Claims Handler.
The false information must have been presented KNOWINGLY.
Must be presented to prove, validate, affirm or deny a claim for injury or loss payment or to obtain insurance coverage.
Red Flag Indicators
Un-witnessed injury
Late reporting
Subjective complaints
Reporting after weekend
Short term employment
Prior claims history
Disciplinary problems
Personal problems
Medical diagnosis is not consistent with mechanism of injury
Witnesses in close proximity unable to substantiate allegations
Refusal to report employee claim
Sending employee to own doctor and submitting under own health insurance
Altering dates or times of injury with intent to have claim denied
Providing false facts to Claims Examiner
Providing payment or kickbacks to doctors for opinions
Altering medical documents
Submitting claims that did not occur within course and scope of employment in attempt to allow employee some form of benefit