The London Fraud Team - Insurance Industry Support

Investigative Support Services for the Insurance Industry

Plain talk, simple solutions for the Insurance Industry

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Hell llping clients investigate fraudulent claims of all types.

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Howells Shepherd International Limited (HSI) provide a comprehensive support service of research and investigations to the Insurance Industry, concentrating on application, identity and claims fraud. The team has the resources, contacts and on the ground experience to provide an efficient and effective service. Initially designed to deal with fraud in the London area, from where 70% of the UK's frauds originate (source: New Scotland Yard and NCIS), the business has now expanded into national and international coverage.

We consider our strength is based on two key criteria, first, the quality of the team that is available to assist our clients. In the main they are drawn from UK and International Fraud Squads, but are complemented by team members from other key agencies and specialist groups. They have worked consistently at the sharp end of fraud investigation, and know the prestigious office fronts, the suburban back streets, and the estates that make up the fraudulent face of London, and the cities where they operate. They are fully compliant with current legislation, such as the Data Protection Act (DPA), Human Rights Act (HRA), and the Regulation of Investigative Powers Act (RIPA), and have extensive experience in criminal law, documentary control, exhibits, statements and cognitive interview techniques.

Secondly, we recognize the commercial balance of the real world that our clients have to operate in. With stretched budgets clients have to ensure there is an immediate and reliable response to their problem at a sensible fee. Not only must the response must be within the clients timeframe, not 'when we can get around to it' but we must at all times consider a commercially focused approach to the work.

Our surveillance teams are normally drawn from two backgrounds. Former detectives from specialist surveillance units who we tend to use for criminal cases, as they have the added expertise of ensuring that their work product will be suitable for use in a criminal case. Should the client requirement be for intelligence and background information only, then we will use former members of military intelligence, specifically those that have learnt their skill in Northern Ireland, and as such have flair in more difficult surveillance conditions. (See our surveillance page for further details).

Internationally we now have on the ground cover in many countries worldwide through our network of affiliates. These have been specially selected over the years for their background profiles, which are generally fraud related, for example in the Far East, they will be former members of the Royal Hong Kong Police Commercial Branch, whilst in the US, they are former FBI agents, who specialized in white collar and economic crime.

Database research

Each day of our working lives we are called upon to make decisions of varying size and complexity. Initially, we draw on the information to hand to add to our own knowledge. To enhance that knowledge and therefore strengthen the decision making process, it is necessary to acquire third party information.

Almost without exception we have found that the key to any successful investigation is the preparation and research that is carried out in the first instance. We have extensive on-line resources to assist in that process.

In today's technological age, information can be available instantaneously from a myriad of sources around the globe. This creates a three fold problem: where to look for information; how to access it and finally how to interpret the data when you receive it .... and it all takes time.

Many managers do not have the time or resources to undertake the work. At Howells Shepherd International Limited we undertake that work on a daily basis through our own on-line facilities, network contacts, closed user groups and proprietory databases.

The information can be presented as raw data or in a comprehensive report. The choice is yours. We also have the facility to present the information in chart format using i2 software.

Our work can be in a format that is suitable for onward dispatch to law enforcement agencies world-wide.

Via this web site we can provide information on the basic areas of research that we provide and their costs. This area is password protected. Contact us quoting 'insurance industry research costs' and we will provide you with the password so that you may download the information and print it off for your records.

The list is not exhaustive, and we can provide a bespoke service if required. If you are not sure what your requirements are, then call us to discuss the problem, there are additional resources available. If you tell us your intended goal, we can usually get you there.