Tips for New Professionals
Getting the job done fast and getting the job done right don’t have to be mutually exclusive propositions. Are you new to the profession? Here’s a few pointers on how to expedite your next claim investigation. These tips are tried and true for a reason.
Send the Accident Report
An accident report is often produced following a Bodily Injury auto claim. When these are passed on to an investigator, it provides a solid head start, with information like date of birth (the driver’s) or their age (the passenger), and the claimant’s driver’s license number (if they were the driver at the time).
Have Both Current and Previous Addresses on Hand
Knowing the claimant’s current address is imperative, and prior addresses are often helpful as well. Investigators can conduct particular searches using prior addresses to find or verify a current residence. Adjusters often have this information on hand anyway, so it’s crucial they know the importance of sharing it with an investigator to speed up the process.
Get Home and Cell Numbers
Like addresses, adjusters frequently know the phone numbers of the claimant. It’s important to remember that with this information, investigators can determine where and to whom a number is listed, helping to establish a claimant’s place of residence. This is an integral part of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) or cyber research, and can further lead to business information, events in which the claimant could be participating, or goods/services they may be offering on marketplace sites (using their telephone numbers in the ads).
Share a Photo of the Claimant
A photo and/or description of a claimant can help an investigation considerably, and often an adjuster has information to that effect (like a claimant’s driver’s licence) in their file. To that end, it’s important to share what you have—no detail is too small. Plus, if you know who else lives with a claimant, pass that along too so that the investigator avoids any misidentification.
Know the Claimant's Occupation or Last Known Employer
Don’t underestimate the value of employment history when it comes to claimant intel. Knowing the last known workplace, even the industry in which the claimant is or was employed can help an investigator fine tune their approach. A claimant working in a restaurant may keep different hours than a claimant working in an office, for example. Plus, even claimants who claim they cannot work often return to the workplace. If an investigator knows where that is, their investigation could be completed that much faster.