04/07/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/08/2025 09:48
In an elaborate auto insurance fraud scheme, four people in Southern California were arrested after claiming a bear damaged their high-value vehicles. Insurance companies paid out $141,839 in claims.
However, it was later revealed that the "bear" was actually a person in a bear costume.
New innovations from Verisk enable insurers to overcome roadblocks to identify fraudsters such as these at the point of quote, when they are applying for insurance.
Verisk has introduced Special Investigation Unit (SIU) Alerts to its application fraud detection solution RISK:check® Point of Sale (RCPOS). The solution can now include fraud reason codes for auto insurance applicants who have drawn scrutiny from SIUs for potential claims fraud. In addition to more than 75 fraud triggers around identity, household, and vehicle risk assessment, this innovation can provide unparalleled insights and protection in light of prior fraudulent activities.
SIU Alerts are specialized reason codes that indicate whether a risk has a history of claims in which an SIU was called to review, investigate, or otherwise handle some portion of the claim. These exclusive alerts are sourced from Verisk's ClaimSearch® database, which captures claims details for more than 95% of the property and casualty insurance markets. By integrating SIU Alerts, insurers can now query applications against this extensive database and identify potential fraud with greater accuracy at the point of quote.
Key benefits of SIU Alerts:
Fraud costs the U.S. insurance industry $308.6 billion per year.1 Premium leakage for personal auto is estimated at $35.1 billion annually,2 and application fraud in 2023 was 18% higher than a 2019 baseline.3 A recent study by Verisk and the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud found 32% of Americans were inclined to omit or falsify information on insurance applications.4
Our underwriting solutions are continuously developed and optimized based on customer feedback. The introduction of SIU Alerts reflects our commitment to providing insurers with the best tools to combat fraud effectively.
The RISK:check suite isn't just for point-of-sale fraud and SIU Alert detection. For auto insurers still struggling with post-pandemic profitability, Verisk can assist with non-rate actions-among the fastest ways to recharge profits in the short term-including batch options requiring minimal resources from IT, underwriting, and customer service.
Verisk clients have found these auto book health initiatives can generate an ROI of 7:1 in the first year and 22:1 over the life of a policy5-all while helping avoid adverse selection and establish a more secure market position.
Visit verisk.com/riskcheck or contact your Verisk account executive to learn about RISK:check solutions.