Groupama asks trick questions

Groupama is to tackle motor claims fraud with a team trained in cognitive interviewing to ask questions that spot and stop fraud.

Cognitive interviewing asks ordered questions that can help spot whether the claim is genuine or fraudulent.

Groupama says opportunistic fraudsters will often reconsider or withdraw a claim in response to detailed questioning. The technique also helps spot pre-meditated fraudulent claims.

Rigorous training

Stephen Teeling, Counter Fraud Manager for Groupama said: “Cognitive interviewing techniques have been around for some while, however in recent years they have been used successfully in helping the insurance industry identify fraudulent claims. It is a highly skilled process that draws on a range of factors including tone and speed of voice to help determine the likelihood of the claim being dishonest or exaggerated. Our new team has undergone rigorous and comprehensive training to enable the use of this highly specialised technique.

“Whilst the prime objective is to quickly identify claims that could be fraudulent and discouraging the claimant to take the claim further, it can also help to enhance service levels as it can speed up the handling of genuine claims whilst at the same time tackling those where there may be evidence of fraud“

£14m of fraud a week

He added: “This latest development is all part of Groupama’s commitment to tackle fraud head on utilising proven software and techniques to stay one step ahead of the fraudsters. We have a responsibility to our policyholders to do as much as we can to protect them from the cost of fraud. Although the ABI’s statistics illustrate that £14 million worth of fraudulent claims are being detected a week, clearly more needs to be done to convey the fact that fraud is a crime. With one in five saying they’d take the risk of cheating on their insurance, the message still doesn’t seem to be getting through.”