The phones are ringing. People are talking in the hallways. Joe Wehrle, president and CEO, has just walked by to greet employees across the different departments as he customarily does. He knows everyone by name. It's a typical morning here in the NICB office. As I read through some of the case activities and fraud alerts in our area newsletters, I see the impact that NICB and its partners are making in the ongoing battle to prevent and combat insurance fraud.
One of the groups that is instrumental in this fight is NICB's Investigative Assistance (IA) team. The IA Group handles all the incoming calls from law enforcement, member companies, NICB field agents and the public.
Jennifer, a Senior Investigative Assistant at NICB, gives a behind the scenes look at the role she and this group plays.
Says Jennifer, "I love my job, and I'm very fortunate to be able to say that. An average day as an IA entails managing heavy call volume and research. Law enforcement callers from across the nation make up the majority of our calls. Requests typically encompass assistance in building a vehicle identification number, helping identify stolen or burned vehicles, searching for information on people alleged to have committed insurance fraud, and searches for vehicles or people that may have been involved in major crimes. Member Companies call to check if a vehicle reported as a theft has been entered or recovered by a law enforcement agency. We also aid our Special Agents with whatever information they need, especially when they are out on investigations as it is more efficient for us to conduct data searches than it is for them while out in the field."
The IA group is an integral component of the overall five disciplines (Data Analytics, Investigations, Training, Legislative Advocacy, and Public Awareness) that comprise NICB, working collaboratively. We know that the criminals are working just as hard 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to devise new fraud schemes. But, just as we all pay the price for insurance fraud, we can all play a role in combating it. Speak Up! Visit us online at www.nicb.org, or call us at 1-800-835-6422.