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Workers' Compensation Investigations Centennial Investigations
Author: | Tuesday September 25, 2007
Brad Dalhover has put together a book for professionals that answers questions about surveillance.
Centennial Investigations
Investigation Firm
Offers "Tips" Book
Centennial Investigations was formed in 2002 by Brad Dalhover, an experienced investigator who had worked for other companies before starting his own. "I felt that by establishing my own company, I could bring new insight and tactics to insurance fraud investigations," Dalhover said in a previous Georgia1st.com interview.
"I work personally with each client to try and fully understand their needs and clients know they can contact me with questions or issues. My philosophy is to treat every client as if they were our only client," Dalhover said. It wasn't long before the personal approach and professional investigations led Dalhover to increase the size of his headquarters to accommodate the growth.
Centennial Investigations is offering a publication, written by Dalhover, "The Art of Assigning Surveillance" at no cost to professionals. Interested persons can stop by the company's booth at the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation Conference or e-mail you can contact him at bdalhover@centennialis.com. The web site is: www.centennialis.com
On this page are some questions and
answers from the publication.
The Art of Assigning Surveillance
1) Let your investigator know about any currently scheduled or future doctor’s appointments. They are an investigator’s best friend. We prefer to work the first day of a case on the day of the appointment. We all know that claimant’s have a bad habit of not showing, canceling, and rescheduling, however a successful appointment allows the investigator to get activity, identify the claimant, identify possible vehicles, and verify their residence. Once this information is obtained, you and your investigator have won half the battle.
2) If the claimant was worked by another investigative agency, it is absolutely imperative that the current investigative agency receives a copy of that report and video with the case assignment or is able to come by your office to review it. The new investigative agency does not want to repeat the times and schedule of the previous surveillance.
3) When assigning a new case write a brief note and let the investigator know why the surveillance is being conducted. What do you think is going on with the claimant? Once again, this allows the investigator to gain more insight.
4) You have a claimant you know is full of it. Every red flag has been sent up, every fraud indicator is present, and you have assigned two days of surveillance without the slightest sign of activity. (You’re grinning, every adjuster has at least three of these files on their desk right now.) Don’t be afraid to mix it up.
Throw all conventional surveillance times out the window and get creative. Assign two more days of surveillance. Assign a 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. surveillance on a weekday and a second surveillance day beginning at 3 p.m. during the week or on a Saturday.
5) Contacts are a valuable and useful resource that should be utilized carefully. The contact has personal knowledge of the claimant and may be able to provide good leads such as, the claimant favorite fishing hole or hunting spot. Contacts have also been known to tip off the claimant about the ongoing investigation. This is rare however it is best to limit contact at the insured to one person. Have that one person discreetly obtain information from the other employees and managers.
Ed. Note:For more information contact Centennial Investigations, 770-438-9200 or call toll free at 877-438-9201. You can also assign cases online at www.centennialis.com
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