You'll never believe some of the claims I've handled...

SIU expert Rich Wickliffe shared some of the more interesting claims he’s investigated at the recent ALM Complex Claims & Litigation Forum.

Frequently, insurance claims begin simply enough as a possibly stolen car, a jewelry theft or a fire gone wrong. Occasionally, however, there are claims that evolve into something totally unexpected, and those were the claims that industry professional, Rich Wickliffe, shared with the audience at the recent Complex Claims & Litigation Forum in Las Vegas.

In this latest installment of the Insurance Speak podcast, Wickliffe, who has led SIU investigation teams for more than 20 years, offers some of the highlights from his presentation: Believe it or Not: Strange Claims I’ve Investigated. He’s had so many interesting claims that he’s even used them as the inspiration for several crime fiction books.

Wickliffe recounted the story of an “exploding” corpse, which turned out to be an elderly woman who died in her apartment but wasn’t discovered until her body had severely decomposed and the odor required further investigation.

He also shared several different incidents that occurred along a road that dead-ends in the Florida Everglades. The road, which has no lights or guardrails, is a popular location for teenagers to drink and drag race, and for owners who have gotten behind on car payments to ditch their vehicles and report them stolen. Interestingly, there is one striking similarity when the cars are pulled out of the water.

To learn more about some of the more unusual claims Wickliffe has handled and what he finds most interesting about individuals attempting to perpetrate fraud, listen to the podcast above or subscribe to Insurance Speak on Spotify, Apple Music or Libsyn.

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