Posted on 10/30/2003 1:11:01 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
The use of lie detectors has led to a quarter of Admiral policyholders withdrawing claims that their vehicle has been stolen.
The company began testing Digilog's voice risk analysis software earlier this year but have extended the pilot after it also revealed one fifth of all motor claims are exaggerated, fail to disclose material information, or are fradulent.
Brownsword, the outsourcing company running the system for Admiral, said that policyholders who telephone are immediately told that the conversation is recorded and that information will be analysed.
The claims handler will ask general questions for a few minutes, such as the policyholders' name and details, so the software can monitor the voice and identify normal stress levels.
David Brownsword, chief executive, said that if any irregular levels occur, the handler will call back to give the policyholder a chance to withdraw his claim, suggesting he check again that the car has really been stolen. "We are trying to be as friendly as we can and not be confrontational unless it is a blatantly fradulent claim," he said.
Admiral fire and theft claims manager Sue Logsdail told Insurance Times magazine: "We started a pilot in May which we were originally intending to run for three months. We have decided to continue running the pilot as we are experiencing a higher proportion of claims that we don't ultimately pay out on."
Admiral is the latest insurer to attempt to cut down on fraud through the use of Digilog's technology. Britain's biggest mortgage lender HBOS uses lie detectors for household insurance claims. Highway Insurance said the number of motor claims withdrawn since it began using the system 18 months ago has soared from 5pc to 18pc.
The Association of British Insurers estimates motor and household insurance fraud costs insurers more than £1 billion a year. The Republic of Ireland has also attempted to crack down on fraud. The Irish Insurance Federation has set up a confidential fraud tip-off hotline and says motor premiums are falling by 10pc to 15pc.
Michael Horan, an IIF spokesman, said that following the hotline's launch eight months ago, it has dealt with more than 1,000 cases of suspected fraud. "Policyholders pay for fraudulent claims and we estimate that insurance fraud in the republic will cost €100m in 2003," he said
Normally I don't think too much of U.K.'s technology, though the Harrier was okay, but this "voice risk analysis" needs to be brought over, refined and used on our elected officials.
The sooner the better!
Plenty.
That thought occured to me, and you are right.
I do think eventually it may be refined to catch even those smoothies.
Can you picture a score board behind these Democrat dwarves, at the next "debate"?
Every time they lie an alarm sounds and the board lights up?
A rather noisy, visually impressive evening. Talk about TV ratings!
regards
The only "fraudulent claim" I see is the assertion that this pseudo-scientific twaddle is capable of detecting falsehood. If they thought they could get away with it, insurance companies would require claimants to submit to the duck-weighing test from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
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