Counter fraud for insurance
Fraud can affect any business or organisation. Insurers often cover such losses but many are self-insured. We represent insurers, businesses, public sector bodies and intermediaries in investigating, defending and prosecuting fraudulent claims.
We combine our legal expertise with in-house intelligence capability and the forensic know-how of trusted specialists. We advise insurers on policy coverage and validate suspect claims, but where fraud is identified, robustly challenge and defend claims, through litigation where necessary.
Our success lies in our tried and tested strategy, which leads to early strike out, discontinuances, or findings of fundamental dishonesty saving clients millions of pounds and allowing them to recover their costs.
Where insurers’ decisions are challenged through the Financial Ombudsman Service we assist and represent insurers’ interests in defending their decisions.
Where claimants don’t recognise the error of their ways, prosecution is the only deterrent. We’ve secured the convictions of many parties who have abused the Court process to further their false and misleading claims, leading to prison sentences, criminal records and significant costs orders.
We operate nationally across all five UK offices and have experience in fraudulent claims including financial loss, cyber-attacks, arson, theft, property damage, clinical negligence and personal injury.
What we do...
- Expert insurance lawyers – we advise on financial loss (including property damage, theft and arson) claims as well as grossly exaggerated or fraudulent claims for personal injury and clinical negligence. Our work covers defending complex fraud rings, staged, induced and bogus accidents and financial claims fraud and advising on policy indemnity in first party commercial claims.
- Intelligence professionals – our work is underpinned by specialist investigatory resources and leading intelligence professionals.
- Our Intercept counter fraud products - our range of counter fraud products offers a fixed fee bespoke fraud investigation and validation service. It allows clients to investigate suspicious activity and identify key protagonists, linked parties and location of assets.
- Protecting your assets - we investigate fraud losses, and secure recovery of assets and investigation costs through enforcement; and in litigation defend robustly all tainted or suspected fraudulent claims, and secure and recover assets and costs.
- Full counter fraud solution - we manage all matters for clients which include investigations, deterrence and disruption measures with police and enforcement agencies, asset recovery, enforcement and prosecution.
Featured experience
Secured a custodial sentence
Secured a custodial sentence and the prosecution of a patient of an NHS Trust who alleged she’d suffered significant disability as a result of unnecessary surgery, leading to bringing a false dishonest claim valued at £2.5m. The claim was successfully defended with no payment in compensation.
Obtained a finding of fundamental dishonesty
Obtained a finding of fundamental dishonesty against a man who alleged he’d sustained an injury whilst running due to a defect in the footpath. The grossly exaggerated claim was dismissed, and he was ordered to pay costs following a finding of fundamental dishonesty. He was successfully prosecuted and given a suspected custodial sentence.
High-value vehicle theft claim
Defended a challenge to repudiation by insurer of a high-value vehicle theft claim with the Financial Ombudsman leading to significant savings.
Third party costs order
Secured a third party costs order against a law firm which handled false claims, and was accused of forging medical reports and perverting the course of justice.
Related expertise
Key contacts
Paul Wainwright
Partner
Herjit Khinda
Legal Director
Lucy Rhymaun
Lead Intelligence Analyst
Testimonials
I have worked with Browne Jacobson for several years now on one of the most complex cases my firm has ever handled. They have been fantastic-they have shown unwavering dedication to the case, to the point that I often feel (probably to their chagrin) as if we are their only client and/or they are a part of our firm, so seamless is the transition of work product back and forth.
Once we flagged two claims as potentially fraudulent they acted quickly, securing intel and enabling us to fight the case. Convictions have also been pursued via private prosecution.
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