From red flag to information gathering

Information gathering and analysis begins the moment a potentially fraudulent claim is suspected. Much of this information gathering, thanks to the Internet and other electronic databases, occurs in the office.

However, many auto, property, health and workers' compensation insurance fraud investigations require professionals to interview claimants and witnesses, as well as document their observations at the scene of claims. Investigations can also involve fixed or mobile surveillance, which often includes gathering video evidence of the fraud.

"Surveillance activities must be carefully recorded," according to the Insurance Fraud Handbook by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. "Detailed notes and logs, films and video (often with special lenses and light sources), and tape recordings must be used appropriately."

Video can certainly be an asset to investigations, but that type of recording is not always feasible, especially during mobile surveillance. This is where voice technology can play a valuable role. Much faster than writing notes, investigators can capture their observations by speaking into their smartphone's dictation recorder app, highlighting details as they see them so they are not lost or distorted by memory. The collected recorded notes, logs and photos can be sent from the smartphone to administrative support staff to add to the other collected investigation data. By the time the investigator returns to the office, dictated notes or logs can be transcribed and be under review by the insurer's attorney or a member of law enforcement.

Ease of use, flexibility essential

Dictation recorder apps for smartphones can vary greatly in functionality. Investigators and other insurance professionals who dictate or conduct interviews while traveling need a robust recorder app that delivers more tools than simply the ability to record voices.

A professional app that offers higher-level functions such as allowing the user to navigate, edit, overwrite and insert content within recordings is important for efficiency. Additionally, investigators sending multiple files at once can streamline the transcription process by prioritizing recordings, define keywords and/or categories, or simply edit the file names to include the case number, or the person being interviewed. The app's user interface should allow the professional to easily find what they're looking for and guide them through the dictation and upload process quickly and intuitively.

An app that can attach photos directly to dictations also helps organize evidence involved in the investigation. This function is particularly useful during mobile surveillance when what was observed can be supported with photos and then shared much faster than a large video file.

Prompt transcription

For transcribing these recordings, some insurers have implemented speech recognition software that automatically recognizes the recorded voice and begins generating the spoken words into text. Although this convenience requires investigators to train the software to recognize the unique qualities of their voice, it can be a time- and labor-saving addition to their workflow.

Other insurers, due to increasing demands on administrative staff, have begun outsourcing the transcription to a third-party company. Many of these transcription firms, however, require the insurer to sign a contract that obligates them to a minimum number of recorded minutes each month. A better alternative is to seek out a transcription service that can be hired as needed. Firms that require no minimum transcriptions per month can support investigators during particularly busy times of the year or when an investigation requires an unusually large amount of dictation, statements or interviews.

By necessity, information gathering in a fraud investigation can be time consuming. A fair and accurate conclusion depends on a thorough and complete gathering and deliberation of evidence. Mobile voice technology tools used by investigators and other insurance professionals in the field, however, can help reduce some of the administrative time so an accurate conclusion can reached promptly and judiciously.

Marsha Taicher is vice president and director of sales for Speech Processing Solutions North America, the manufacturer of Philips dictation solutions.