Skip to main content
CAT event update
For the latest on the Turkey earthquake, please visit our event page.
Learn more
  • Select a Site Blog
    US-Global
    Canada en fr
    United Kingdom
    Australia

    By Country / Region

    • Argentina en es pt
    • Australia
    • Belgium
    • Brazil en pt es
    • Canada en fr
    • The Caribbean
    • Chile en es pt
    • China
    • Denmark
    • Finland
    • Germany en de

     

    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Italy en it
    • Japan
    • Malaysia
    • Mexico en es pt
    • Netherlands en nl
    • Norway en no
    • Panama en es pt
    • Peru en es pt

     

    • The Philippines
    • Poland en pl
    • Singapore
    • Spain en es
    • Sweden en sv
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • United Arab Emirates
    • United Kingdom
    • United States

    By Country / Region

    • Argentina en es pt
    • Australia
    • Belgium
    • Brazil en pt es
    • Canada en fr
    • The Caribbean
    • Chile en es pt
    • China
    • Denmark
    • Finland
    • Germany en de
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Italy en it
    • Japan

     

    • Malaysia
    • Mexico en es pt
    • Netherlands en nl
    • Norway en no
    • Panama en es pt
    • Peru en es pt
    • The Philippines
    • Poland en pl
    • Singapore
    • Spain en es
    • Sweden en sv
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • United Arab Emirates
    • United Kingdom
    • United States

    Specialty Sites

    • Broadspire
    • Catastrophe Services
    • Contractor Connection
    • Crawford Blog
    • Crawford GTS
    • Crawford Legal Services
    • Investor Relations
    • WeGoLook
  • Investors
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Subscribe
  • Login
    • CMS Portal
    • CAT Adjuster Portal
    • VTECH
    • XactAnalysis
  • Submit a Claim
    • US Claim Submission Portal
    • Text "Claim" to 877-531-4803
  • 24/7 Hotlines
    • ClaimsAlert Hotline
    • 877-346-0300
    • Transportation Claims Hotline
    • 866-420-1689
    • Submit a Claim
    • US Claim Submission Portal
    • Text "Claim" to 877-531-4803
Crawford & Company logo
  • Services
    • Loss Adjusting
    • Third Party Administration
    • Managed Repair
    • Medical Management
    • On-Demand Services
    • Catastrophe Response
    Global Loss Adjusting Preview Cards 480X270

    When loss occurs, Crawford is there with the right team, the right technology, and the right processes to help you restore and rebuild.

    Global Third Party Administration Preview Cards 480X270

    From loss adjusting to medical management to managed repair and more, Crawford delivers effective TPA solutions to save you time and money.

    Global Managed Repair Preview Cards 480X270

    Deliver a world-class experience to your customers from first notice of loss all the way through to finished repair.

    Global Medical Management Preview Cards 480X270

    A comprehensive set of clinical management programs focused on compassionate care.

    Global Wegolook Preview Cards 480X270

    Bringing the gig economy to the enterprise to deliver faster, more cost-effective results.

    Global Catastrophe Services V1 Preview Cards 480X270

    Industry-leading adjusters combined with innovations in technology and workforce management deliver value to clients when they need it most.

    Service Catalog

    Get details on all of Crawford's services in our easy-to-navigate online catalog.

    Explore our services

  • Industries

    Insurance & Risk

    • Carriers
    • Brokers
    • Corporates
    • The Lloyd's Market

    Other Industries

    • Agriculture
    • Construction
    • Entertainment and Events
    • Finance
    • Healthcare
    • Hospitality
    • Manufacturing
    • Marine
    • Mining
    • Power and Energy
    • Public Sector
    • Real Estate
    • Retail and Wholesale
    • Transportation
    Global Insurance Carriers Previewcard

    Optimize your claims processes and delight your customers.

    Global Insurance Brokers Previewcard

    Backed by our innovative array of services, you’ll always be the hero to your clients.

    Global Corporates Previewcard

    Comprehensive solutions for businesses in any industry.

    Global Preview Card Lloyds 480X270

    Exceeding expectations for syndicates, brokers, insureds, coverholders, and MGAs.

    Uk Agriculture Preview 480X270

    Understanding the ever-changing risks of the modern rural economy.

    Global Construction Previewcard

    Specialized expertise for those who build.

    Camera man filming a scene in a doctor's office

    Navigating the complex landscape of production risk.

    Aerial view of city

    Supporting the unique and ever-changing risks of financial institutions.

    Group of healthcare professionals meeting

    Delivering on our mission so you can focus on yours.

    Global Hospitality Preview Cards 480X270

    Driving efficiency, building customer satisfaction and protecting your brand.

    Batteries on a conveyor built in a manufacturing facility

    Keeping the engine of commerce running.

    Uk Marine Transportaion Preview 480X270

    Expert service in a complex, large-scale and high-profile sector.

    Mining equipment outdoors

    Global expertise for large-scale operations.

    Solar and wind farm

    Knowledge, skills and experience in energy, power generation, and renewables.

    Ornate columns outside a government building

    Innovation and data-driven efficiencies deliver value for public entities.

    Global industry real estate preview

    Exceptional service, information and reassurance in a fast-paced business.

    Delivery truck unloading at a commercial loading dock

    Managing risk in one of the world's largest industries.

    Global Transportaion Preview Cards 3 480X270

    Frictionless intake, rapid response, and comprehensive coverage.

  • Innovation
    • Crawford Technologies
    • Asservio
    • On-Demand Estimatics
    • WeGoLook
    • YouGoLook
    • 3D Property Scan
    • Digital Desk
    • Digital Assist
    • TruLook
    • Recall 360
    • Escape of Water
    Global Innovation Preview Cards 480X270 V2

    We’re not just embracing change, we’re leading it.

    Global innovation asservio preview

    Leading-edge estimate review technology that eliminates friction and ensures faster, more accurate property repair estimates.

    Global code preview

    Streamlined, accurate estimating from a single source.

    Global Wegolook Preview Cards 480X270

    Combining technology with an on-demand workforce to help businesses gather and validate information anytime, anywhere.

    Global yougolook preview 1 480x270

    Empowering policyholders to safely submit their own claims data.

    Global innovations 3d property scan previewcard

    Get a detailed report with measurements and information about the exterior of a property by taking just a few perimeter photos.

    Digital desk preview 480x270

    Access next-gen claims processing

    Global digital assist preview card

    Using Digital Assist, adjusters can quickly and easily request the individual services they need to close claims.

    Global Tru Look Preview Cards 480X270 V2

    Claims handling that adapts to your needs.

    Global Preview Recall 360 480X270

    Helping you prepare for and respond to any product recall.

    Global Escape Of Water

    Combining IoT technology with IICRC certified water loss specialists to deliver rapid and reliable response.

  • Expertise
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Locations
    • Leadership
    • Investors
    • Global Citizenship
    • Careers
    • Press
    • Blog
    • Contact us
    Global Our Story Preview Cards 480X270 V2

    Learn about Crawford's mission, vision, values, and the over 75 years of history that have made us who we are today.

    Global Locations Preview Cards 480X270

    With hundreds of offices and service centers around the world, Crawford is everywhere you need to be.

    Global leadership previewcard 2 480 X270

    Crawford’s strong and seasoned leadership team leverages its extensive knowledge and industry experience to drive our business.

    Global Investors Preview Cards 480X270

    Visit Crawford's investor relations website for news and information relevant to our shareholders.

    Global gcr preview 480x270

    We strive to make a positive impact on the communities in which we live and work.

    Global Preview Careers 480X270 V2

    At Crawford, employees are empowered to grow, emboldened to act and inspired to innovate. Won't you join us?

    Global Press Preview Cards 480X270

    Discover recent placements, company news and additional Crawford resources.

    Global Blog Nav Preview

    The Crawford blog publishes regularly on our people, our company and the industries we serve.

    Global Contact Us Preview Cards 480X270 V2

    We’re here to help! Team members around the world are standing by to assist you and your business.

  • Resources
  • Free Consultation
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Post
  • Blog
  • Post
  • Category:
  • All Categories
    • Company
    • Expertise
    • Innovation
    • People
    • Services
    • COVID-19
    • Legal Services

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

The rise of the machines

Blog Ai Feature 1000X500

Most of us have seen sci-fi film Terminator, a story of man and machines travelling back in time to alter the past and affect the future positively (depending upon your perspective).

The film’s back drop is Skynet, an “artificial intelligence” defense network that will become self-aware in the near future and initiate a nuclear holocaust. The time traveler’s journey back to 1984 from 2029; a date not so far off in our future.

So, what exactly is AI, and on the insurance battlefront, can it help us fight insurance fraud?

AI, sometimes called machine intelligence, is where machines demonstrate a form of intelligence and a level of awareness. It has been defined as “a system’s ability to correctly interpret external data, to learn from such data, and to use those learnings to achieve specific goals and tasks through flexible adaptation”.

In terms of identifying fraud or potential fraud our industry has long relied upon Risk Indicators, Red Flags or Fraud Identifiers. Such systems, automated or otherwise, are simply a set of experienced-based rules based on warning signs. A typical example would be a claim submitted only one day after Policy Inception.

We have learned much in the past 20 years and now treat “Risk Indicators” with a more open mind. Our industry now has many more tools which in turn support our fraud-related research and the risk in comparison to the identified Risk Indicators. Claims that subsequently fail our Risk Indicators and research are subjected to further scrutiny.

Despite concerted efforts, however, the battle against fraud is far from won. In 2016, insurers detected 125,000 dishonest claims valued at £1.3 billion. It is estimated a similar amount goes undetected each year. This is why insurers invest at least £200 million each year to identify fraud. Current estimates are that our industry has a 70% strike rate on proving fraud, which is to say that 30% of genuine customers are adversely affected by our efforts. Clearly, we need to find a better way.

Surely AI adapted to take over the decision-making process of fraud identification will improve our ability to prevent and detect fraud – assuming our data capture is sound? One would presume it could identify suspicious claims factors and cross match the data subject in multiple areas at a speed and level of accuracy far beyond human capabilities.

However, there is one element of fraud detection that AI cannot import – cynicism (a significant part of “natural intelligence”). We’ve all felt it, culminating in a furrowed brow. Something is not right. Perhaps we need to physically visit, to see, smell, listen, touch and acquire a taste for what we are being told.

AI is not Skynet, it will not (for the foreseeable future at least) be “self-aware”. Further, the insurance industry’s ability to capture data requires improvement.

To quote Donald Rumsfeld:

“There are known knowns; there are also known unknowns; but there are also unknown unknowns, and if we are to look through history it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult ones”.

It is a known that fraudsters patrol and exploit the gaps. Another is that fraud is a displaced crime; if we are weaker than another target within the financial services industry; we will be attacked by that displaced fraudster. Our known unknown is the fraud within our industry we are missing. And then there is the frightening prospect of the unknown unknowns.

So, how do we capture all fraud without affecting service to the genuine customer?

There is no silver bullet for missed fraudulent activities. At a high level, we must improve data capture and analytical abilities as well as communicating comprehensively across our own and other industries. AI will, without doubt, play a part in this.

At Crawford, we have been on a mission to address each stage of the fraud process: prevention, detection, handling, and sanctions. We need multiple answers to fill current gaps. Data is key, as too is the ability to automate, compare, analyze and finally handle our customers with the appropriate speedy response, with complete empathy and understanding.

In addition to the usual cross product services, we are developing our data analysis with a range of cutting-edge data led innovation tools and our intelligence service, Insight. We can address every level of claim in a commercially sensitive way, having developed WeGoLook for a pure eye on fraud. WeGoLook is, without doubt, the most innovative mix of technology and the human touch, delivering immediate data (24/7 365) to our clients so as to provide best-informed decisions. And Crawford Legal Services is now attacking our fraud caseloads with a complete arsenal of sanctions offerings, including the pursuit of proven fraud with Tort of Deceit cases.

In the immortal words of Arnold Schwarzenegger; “I’ll be back”.

If there are any questions or enquiries about our full list of Fraud Service offerings, please contact a Crawford expert.

David Ingleson
david.ingleson@crawco.co.uk

Related posts

Blog Artificial Intelligence 1 Feature

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Artificial intelligence — how fast are we traveling?

Read more about Artificial intelligence — how fast are we traveling?
Blog Featured RPA 1000x500

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Robotic process automation — making more room for claims quality

Read more about Robotic process automation — making more room for claims quality
Blog Accelerating Innovation Feature

Friday, August 17, 2018

Accelerating successful innovation starts with investment

Read more about Accelerating successful innovation starts with investment

Crawford & Company logo

Services

  • Loss Adjusting
  • Third Party Administration
  • Managed Repair
  • Medical Management
  • On-Demand Services
  • Catastrophe Response
  • Full Service Catalog

Industries

  • For Carriers
  • For Brokers
  • For Corporates
  • For the Lloyd's Market
  • For Construction
  • For Healthcare
  • For Hospitality
  • For Transportation

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Locations
  • Leadership
  • Global Citizenship
  • Careers
  • Press
  • Blog
  • Contact

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Employment Policy
  • EU Privacy Notice
©2023 CRAWFORD & COMPANY. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • Services
    • Loss Adjusting
    • Third Party Administration
    • Managed Repair
    • Medical Management
    • On-Demand Services
    • Catastrophe Response
    • Full Services Catalog
  • Industries
    • Insurance & Risk
    • Carriers
    • Brokers
    • Corporates
    • The Lloyd's Market
    • Other Industries
    • Agriculture
    • Construction
    • Entertainment and Events
    • Finance
    • Healthcare
    • Hospitality
    • Manufacturing
    • Marine
    • Mining
    • Power and Energy
    • Public Sector
    • Real Estate
    • Retail and Wholesale
    • Transportation
  • Innovation
    • Crawford Technologies
    • Asservio
    • On-Demand Estimatics
    • WeGoLook
    • YouGoLook
    • 3D Property Scan
    • Digital Desk
    • Digital Assist
    • TruLook
    • Recall 360
    • Escape of Water
  • Expertise
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Locations
    • Leadership
    • Global Citizenship
    • Careers
    • Press
    • Blog
    • Contact us
  • Resources
  • More from Crawford
  • Investors
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Subscribe
  • Login
    • CMS Portal
    • CAT Adjuster Portal
    • VTECH
    • XactAnalysis
  • Submit a Claim
    • US Claim Submission Portal
    • Text "Claim" to 877-531-4803
  • 24/7 Hotlines
    • ClaimsAlert Hotline
    • 877-346-0300
    • Transportation Claims Hotline
    • 866-420-1689
    • Submit a Claim
    • US Claim Submission Portal
    • Text "Claim" to 877-531-4803
  • Search for Expertise

Interested in learning more?
Get a free consultation with one of our experts.

Complete this form and we’ll get back to you at the contact details provided.