SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT - INSURANCE SERVICES

To enhance our client centered services to the insurance industry, the Investigative Research Group (IRG) has developed the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) which is comprised of highly skilled insurance and former senior law enforcement experts.  Our SIU – Insurance Services section specializes in insurance investigations related to staged accidents, auto theft, fraudulent rehabilitation clinics, organized crime, death claims and vandalism, to name a few.   

The integrity, skill and professionalism of our Special Investigation Unit (SIU) are unique in the field of private investigations.  Combined with IRG’s existing professional investigative capabilities such as video, audio, and physical surveillance, our team comprises hundreds of years of senior insurance claims adjuster, accident benefit statement taking, law enforcement and private investigation experience.

We have extensive and long-standing working relationships with the insurance industry. IRG is the vendor of choice to conduct SIU overflow investigations for corporate insurance SIU units. Our company has national and international contacts to address any situation that may arise. Our investigative services can be provided in multi languages by both female and male investigators.

IRG’s Special Investigation Unit and Insurance Service expertise includes: 

• Strategic and proactive investigative skills designed to protect corporate assets, market share and public reputations;
• Accident reconstruction expertise to confirm or dispute accident claims including fraud, staged accidents and liability issues;
• Complex investigations, interviews, AB statements for the insurance industry, serious crimes such as staged accidents, auto theft, vandalism, locate witnesses, service of legal documents and complete background and due diligence investigations;
• Clinic investigations, location verification, signage, advertising checks, licensing verification, tax registration, covert evaluation to review equipment, staff, office procedures and surveillance to establish client usage;
• Extensive analytical, financial, legal, audit, risk assessment and research capabilities which includes pre-trial research and preparation;
• Expert witnesses in criminal and civil court proceedings; and
• Expertise in corporate fraud and organized crime, white collar frauds, corporate espionage,  multi-million dollar internal thefts and insider banking frauds.

Staged Accidents:

Fraudulent accident claims and staged accidents have become a major issue for the insurance industry resulting in millions of dollars of vulnerabilities annually. The economy and infiltration of organized crime have made the insurance industry victims of this solvable crime. 

IRG’s SIU – Insurance Services specialize in staged accidents and conduct the following steps in the investigative process:

• Complete review of the insurance file;
• Contact/consult with the insurance adjuster;
• Obtain and review the police file/report;
• Identify “red flags”;
• Interview the police officer(s) involved;
• Determine insurance priority;
• Attend scene – sketches, photographs and measurements;
• Interview driver and occupants;
• Interview third parties;
• Interview independent witnesses;
• Interview tow truck drivers (where possible);
• Obtain photos/tapes from Collision Reporting Centres (CRC);
• Examine and photograph the vehicles (if possible);
• Obtain environmental reports;
• Expert analysis of evidence collected; and
• Provide recommendations for further investigation such as examinations under oath (EUO’s) and accident reconstruction.

Accident Reconstruction:

IRG’s Accident Reconstruction program is an industry leader. Mr. Rob Seaton is a Level IV Collision Reconstructionist and has been providing expert testimony for the legal and insurance industry since 1991. Mr. Seaton has over 20 years police experience in the OPP and Toronto Police Service and his extensive background in Collision Reconstruction is nationally recognized. Trained at the national and international level, he has taught at the C.O. Bick Toronto Police College, the Ontario Police College and the Ontario Provincial Police Academy. Rob completed his police career as the Officer in Charge of the Collision Reconstruction Training and Traffic Programs at the Ontario Provincial Police Academy.  He is also a past member of the Provincial Special Investigations Unit.

During his career, Mr. Seaton has investigated approximately 2000 fatal motor vehicle collisions and over 7000 injury collisions. For the past 20 years, he has been declared an expert witness in every level of court including: coroner’s inquests; civil hearings; arbitration hearings; and labour relations adjudications. In fact, his evidentiary findings can be located in various Canadian Case Law rulings. For example, Mr. Seaton’s reconstruction testimony was an essential component of the first guilty pleas in Canada under the recent organized crime legislation for “Project Recycle” which was an organized crime staged accident investigation in Ontario during which Mr. Seaton conducted in excess of 18 reconstructions.

From a cost benefit analysis perspective, the cost of utilizing an engineer is 2 to 3 times that of IRG’s service as their hourly rate is a minimum of $350. Depending on the amount of the tort, engineering fees for accident reconstruction analysis have been known to exceed $30,000. Considering the level of expertise, recognition and respect afforded to IRG’s accident reconstruction program, this factor makes our option preferable from every perspective.   

Auto Theft and Vandalism:

Auto theft and vandalism claims are also a major liability for the insurance industry.  IRG’s SIU – Insurance Services provides expert investigation to aid the industry in the detection of fraudulent claims, including: polygraph examinations; statement analysis; post incident expert lock and vehicle systems evaluations; and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) examination.

ISN and IRG

We're proud to announce that we have been acquired by Investigative Solutions Inc. (ISN).  To see how this acquisition will enhance our customer experience, please see our official announcement.

To learn more about ISN, visit the ISN webpage.